Is this a Good BFT!!!

[merry marlin]

Another version is on the the Big Game forum. That is one nice way for that fish to go!
MM
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia...ce=twitterfeed


Japan new year tuna sale sets price recordBy Roland Buerk

BBC News, Tokyo


A Tokyo restaurant and a Hong Kong sushi bar bid jointly for the tuna Continue reading the main story
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A tuna has sold at auction for a record 32.49m yen in Tokyo, nearly $400,000 (£257,320).

The fish was a blue fin, a variety prized for making the finest sushi. It was bought by a joint Japanese and Chinese bid.

The first auction in January at Tokyo's Tsukji fish market is a cherished part of Japan's New Year celebrations, and record prices are often set.

Japan is the world's biggest consumer of seafood.

After bells rang at 0500 local time (2000 GMT on Tuesday) to start the sale, bidding was brisk.

More than 500 fish were laid out on pallets on the concrete floor.

But the lot that attracted the most interest was a giant 342kg blue fin tuna caught off Japan's northern island of Hokkaido.

The winning bid was made jointly by the owners of a restaurant in Tokyo's upmarket Ginza district, and a sushi chain in Hong Kong.

[netman9]

The one I sold was close, but no record That would be one heck of a day if there wasn't so many hands between the one that caught and the one that bought.That being said, some guy is still pretty happy!

[hubris 1]

Thats all for Promotion. That way, they can charge japs 10 dollars for a piece of sushi and they think they got a great deal. Boy, are we all getting jaded watching the japanese set the standard of feng shue, or however you spell it. Hes my take on the japanese.....they fin sharks, and throw them back alive......and they want to tell me how to arrange a room so Im comfortable? Yea, right. This is also part of the problem in America........Now every bluefin commercial thinks hes going to pay off his house catching the next one. Its a publicity stunt, just like Pearl Harbor.
Ever notice Atlantic City casinos also have a hugh jackpot the week before Memorial Day Weekend? You can spend all summer trying to match it, You aint gonna do it............Steve Wynne is Japanese for [Sucker born every minute.]

[Heli Sports]

There is nothing good about this one!

The green organizations are going to sieze this opportunity for publicity and all we are going to hear for the next year is how Bluefins are worth half a million dollers each!

[canyongear]

Thats all for Promotion. That way, they can charge japs 10 dollars for a piece of sushi and they think they got a great deal. Boy, are we all getting jaded watching the japanese set the standard of feng shue, or however you spell it. Hes my take on the japanese.....they fin sharks, and throw them back alive......and they want to tell me how to arrange a room so Im comfortable? Yea, right. This is also part of the problem in America........Now every bluefin commercial thinks hes going to pay off his house catching the next one. Its a publicity stunt, just like Pearl Harbor.
Ever notice Atlantic City casinos also have a hugh jackpot the week before Memorial Day Weekend? You can spend all summer trying to match it, You aint gonna do it............Steve Wynne is Japanese for [Sucker born every minute.]

Hubris...
I said the same thing to myself this morning after reading the article..I laughed as the dynamic duo that bought the fish also bought the "Big Money" fish last year...and the kicker was.....drum roll.....it was a "Japanese BlueFin Tuna".....huh...amazing two years in a row...yep and Nancy Pelosi isn't an Alien either.

Sumbitch $524 a pound....

[hubris 1]

The people that bought it also own the most premier sushi house in tokyo.

[Nauti Natured]

That is insane. I don't get why they would do that. How on earth could he possibly re-coup that kind of money???

[Heli Sports]

That is insane. I don't get why they would do that. How on earth could he possibly re-coup that kind of money???

This transaction was a publicity event perpetrated by Hong Kong entrepreneur Ricky Cheng and a Ginza restauranteur. This is the second year that these guys have done this. Although Kyubey is one of the premier sushi bars in Tokyo, if not the entire world, Chengs chain of Itamae Sushi restaurants is not particularly upscale and both parties will surely lose a great deal of money on this tuna, publicity not withstanding.

Unfortunately the real loser is going to be American tuna fishermen because all the green organizations are already using this event to create hysteria and we will be hearing about how Bluefins are so valueable, Asian demand is insatiable, etc, etc. Meanwhile, during normal market condistions, half the tuna is left unsold after auction each morning at Tsukiji...

Shinnenkai and Bonenkai Prices:

These early January astronomical Bluefin prices at Tsukiji should not surprise anyone, they occur every year at this time. They are not a true reflection of market conditions in Japan, and while its true that publicity seeking has alot to do with it, there is much more to it than that.

The Japanese celebrate New Years a bit differently than we do. Late December is "Bonenkai" period and there are many "forget-the-year parties"

Early January is the "Shinnenkai" season and the new year is celebrated. There are many social gatherings of company workers, business and office parties, usually held at restaurants. These celebrations are very important in Japan and it is considered a time to strengthen relationships with clients and among co-workers.

Prior to Shinnenkai the markets in Japan have been closed for several days for the Shogatsu holiday (January 1-4) so every wholesaler at Tsukiji has to buy tuna when the market re-opens because they do not carry inventory over that holiday. Traditionally, market conditions for tuna in early January are particularly strong for this reason.

Typically at this time of year, two or three Nakagai or wholesalers will team up and bid together on a tuna which they will then split between them. The bidding between these "teams" can get rather heated as the wholesalers fight over the very best quality tuna on the floor and this is one reason that the prices get bid up so high. The auctioneers will also do their best to inflate hammer prices at this time as a bonus or gesture of goodwill to their loyal suppliers.

The Japanese are a very proud and nationalistic society. The tunas that achieve these astronomical prices are usually harvested from the Tsugaru Strait in the icy waters off of Oma (Aomori prefecture) in northern Japan. The Japanese consider these Bluefin which feed largely on squid and salmon, to be among the very best quality Maguro in the world.

[SportFishStaff]

This transaction was a publicity event perpetrated by Hong Kong entrepreneur Ricky Cheng and a Ginza restauranteur. This is the second year that these guys have done this. Although Kyubey is one of the premier sushi bars in Tokyo, if not the entire world, Chengs chain of Itamae Sushi restaurants is not particularly upscale and both parties will surely lose a great deal of money on this tuna, publicity not withstanding.

Unfortunately the real loser is going to be American tuna fishermen because all the green organizations are already using this event to create hysteria and we will be hearing about how Bluefins are so valueable, Asian demand is insatiable, etc, etc. Meanwhile, during normal market condistions, half the tuna is left unsold after auction each morning at Tsukiji...

Shinnenkai and Bonenkai Prices:

These early January astronomical Bluefin prices at Tsukiji should not surprise anyone, they occur every year at this time. They are not a true reflection of market conditions in Japan, and while its true that publicity seeking has alot to do with it, there is much more to it than that.

The Japanese celebrate New Years a bit differently than we do. Late December is "Bonenkai" period and there are many "forget-the-year parties"

Early January is the "Shinnenkai" season and the new year is celebrated. There are many social gatherings of company workers, business and office parties, usually held at restaurants. These celebrations are very important in Japan and it is considered a time to strengthen relationships with clients and among co-workers.

Prior to Shinnenkai the markets in Japan have been closed for several days for the Shogatsu holiday (January 1-4) so every wholesaler at Tsukiji has to buy tuna when the market re-opens because they do not carry inventory over that holiday. Traditionally, market conditions for tuna in early January are particularly strong for this reason.




Typically at this time of year, two or three Nakagai or wholesalers will team up and bid together on a tuna which they will then split between them. The bidding between these "teams" can get rather heated as the wholesalers fight over the very best quality tuna on the floor and this is one reason that the prices get bid up so high. The auctioneers will also do their best to inflate hammer prices at this time as a bonus or gesture of goodwill to their loyal suppliers.

The Japanese are a very proud and nationalistic society. The tunas that achieve these astronomical prices are usually harvested from the Tsugaru Strait in the icy waters off of Oma (Aomori prefecture) in northern Japan. The Japanese consider these Bluefin which feed largely on squid and salmon, to be among the very best quality Maguro in the world.

Heli, You are a wealth of information. Thank You for sharing your knowledge with us.