On January 5, local time, Japan's first tuna auction of 2021 was held at Tokyo's Toyosu Market. A 208-kilogram bluefin tuna sold for the highest price of 20.84 million yen (about 1.3 million yuan).
However, this highest price is only one-tenth of last year's, which can be described as a "cliff-like" decline.
The pandemic has hit the Japanese catering industry hard
In previous years, "sky-high fish" auctioned "cabbage price" this year
In recent years, bluefin tuna has maintained an auction price of hundreds of millions of yen at the first auction of the new year. Although this year's transaction price is the seventh highest price on record in 1999, it is still "not worth mentioning" compared with the price of 333.6 million yen (about 20.88 million yuan) in 2019 and 193.2 million yen (about 12.09 million yuan) in 2020.
Takataka Yamaguchi, who won the highest price of the bluefin tuna this year, said it was a reasonable New Year's trading price.
△ Yukitaka Yamaguchi and his team pose with bluefin tuna
Minoru Tanaka, a fisherman who caught the highest-bid tuna of the year, was somewhat disappointed with the auction price. He said the proceeds from the auction of tuna were running out of money after paying off the ship's loans, but there was nothing they could do under the impact of the pandemic.
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Japanese people have reduced their eating out, and the country's catering industry has suffered a severe impact. According to data released by the Tokyo Business and Industry Research Corporation, between January and December 2020, the number of restaurants that went bankrupt in Japan reached 810, setting a new record in the past.
At the fish market auction on the first day of the new year in previous years, in order to pray for a prosperous business and a good lottery, buyers are usually willing to give a higher price than usual to participate in the auction. Affected by the epidemic, this year, not only the tuna auctioned the "cabbage price", but also the transaction price of puffer fish, amberjack and other seafood products was lower than in previous years.
Tuna auctions have a long history
In previous years, "a ticket is hard to find" this year, the audience was rejected
The "New Year's First Auction" of tuna is a unique cultural tradition in Japan that attracts a large number of people every year.
△ On January 5, 2020, the first tuna auction of the New Year was held at Toyosu Market
However, it is not easy to visit the auction, and tourists need to register with the market's tourism management department. The auction ceremony generally starts around 5 a.m., and only 120 viewing places are open every day, which can be described as "one ticket is hard to find".
Many overseas tourists come here, and even many people have started queuing up the night before.
The tuna auction was originally held at Tsukiji Market, known as the "Kitchen of Tokyo", which was once a popular tourist attraction to visit Japan. Once upon a time, more than 90% of Tokyo's seafood came from Tsukiji Market.
In the second half of 2018, the market was relocated to Toyosu and changed to Toyosu Market.
Since the outbreak began, more than 170 people have been infected with the new crown virus.
This year, Toyosu Market continues the tradition of auctioning tuna in the New Year. However, unlike in the past, this year's auction has no on-site audience, and only relevant personnel who have taken protective measures are allowed to be present.
Selling fish is all about grabbing?
What you need to know about tuna...
Why are tuna auctions in Tokyo, Japan so popular every year? Why can "Fish King" sell at a surprisingly high price? How attractive is this fish that people can love it so much?
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High nutritional value, good taste, popular
Tuna, also known as tuna, is always cooked into delicious dishes, whether sashimi or cooked. However, all kinds of tuna products also have requirements for tuna species.
There are about 40 species of tuna worldwide. The products we usually eat, such as canned fish and fish meat floss, are more from yellowfin tuna, which is produced in large quantities and relatively inexpensive, while the tuna that is usually used to make high-grade sashimi and sushi is bluefin tuna, which is relatively rare and expensive.
Bluefin Tuna is the largest of the tuna, with tender flesh, excellent taste, high protein but low fat content, and is the top ingredient for sashimi and sushi. Therefore, bluefin tuna also has the reputation of "blue diamond in the fish" and "king of sashimi".
Bluefin tuna has been in high demand since the Edo period. According to statistics, Japan is the largest consumer of bluefin tuna, with an annual consumption of about 45,000 tons, accounting for about 80% of the total global bluefin tuna production.
High requirements on preservation technology
Bluefin tuna live in cold deep-sea waters, and if their fresh produce is to be shipped off-site, the freshness of live fish will decline even if it is transported by air or highway.
In order to make the marlin meat as possible and have a good appearance when it is served on the table, frozen processing is considered the best method.
△ Customers can judge the freshness of tuna by looking at the incision
The tuna caught ashore is usually stored in a cold storage at -60 ° C, and it is to be auctioned off. Due to the extremely short shelf life after thawing, tuna is often auctioned off quickly in a frozen state.
At the annual New Year's auction, major Japanese sushi shop owners and suppliers rush to auction fresh bluefin tuna, which is cut and sold on site.
△ On January 5, 2021, at a restaurant in Tokyo, Japan, the staff cut open the fish obtained from the tuna auction
Overfished and already endangered
Bluefin tuna is extremely expensive to catch. In general, only large distant-water fishing fleets that are recognized by the relevant countries and environmental organizations, have tuna quotas, and are equipped with highly automated fishing equipment, high-horsepower ocean-going vessels, satellite communication equipment, sonar and thermometers are qualified for fishing.
At present, more than 80 countries in the world are engaged in tuna fishing activities.
The highly popular Pacific bluefin tuna has experienced a sharp decline in resources due to overfishing, and as early as 2014, the bluefin tuna was listed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Pacific bluefin tuna research experts at the Pew Charitable Trusts said in a statement: "Years of overfishing have reduced tuna stocks by more than 97 percent. ”
In addition, multiple animal protection and environmental groups around the world have warned that the huge consumption has endangered the survival of bluefin tuna.
Producer 丨 Tang Yi
Producer 丨文凡
Co-ordinator 丨 Chen Yueqi
Edited by 丨Lei Li