Anyone can enjoy a great meal at a restaurant on a budget, but some foods can be a luxury that only the wealthy can afford. What would you say if someone told you that there is a type of tuna fish that has been purchased for over 1 million dollars? We are talking about a single fish that has managed to gain that kind of value.

If you thought that tuna fish was only one species of fish, you are in for a surprise. The most common tuna fish that we find in tuna cans all over the world is called Albacore, but it’s not the only one that exists. This fish is a relatively easy catch that is extremely abundant at sea. This means that the cost of acquiring this particular type of fish is quite low when compared to others.

One of the most common issues that people have is that they expect all tuna to have an equal price, but Atlantic Bluefin tuna is a much more expensive alternative. This is the type of fish that you are only likely to find in high-end sushi restaurants. This is the million-dollar fish that we mentioned earlier.

Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Essentials

The Atlantic Bluefin Tuna goes by the scientific name of Thunnus Thynnus. This is a carnivore fish that lives an average of 20 to 30 years and Atlantic bluefin tuna size reaches 6.5 feet, with an average weight of 550 pounds.

Atlantic bluefin tuna - Deep Water — *Source: yale.edu*

This is a very large and fast fish that is able to swim as fast as 43 miles per hour. Their entire bodies and collection of fins and filets are all perfectly placed to ensure optimal speed and manoeuvrability.

The Atlantic bluefin tuna has a very varied diet that includes smaller fish, eels, squids, crustaceans, and zooplankton. This means that they have a very large supply of food in the ocean and they are constantly feeding.

This fish can dive deeper than 3,000 feet and there are 3 different species of Bluefin in the ocean. The Atlantic, the Pacific, and the Southern. The Atlantic is the largest and the most endangered.

The average Atlantic bluefin tuna weights around 200 pounds by the time they reach a decade. They can reach 500 to 600 pounds within 15 years, but the ones over 1000 pounds can each 40 to 50 years of age.

Atlantic Bluefin tuna is a luxury that is not for everyone. Some foods can be too expensive to be consumed by the general public and Bluefin tuna is definitely one of those delicacies, that requires a significant investment for its enjoyment.

Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Can Reach An Outstanding Size

The most impressive feature of this species is the size they can reach. Atlantic Bluefin tuna have been recorded to get as big as 1,500lb in weight. This means that the biggest bluefin tuna rivals the weight of a marlin. The bluefin tuna world record is a whopping 1,495 pounds and it has not been broken in 40 years. This is the bluefin tuna largest specimen recorded.

Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Does Not Breed In Captivity

Another reason why Atlantic bluefin tuna is such a special and expensive fish is the fact that this species does not breed in captivity. This means that there is no way to make use of fish farming techniques with the bluefin.

The Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Endangered Species

There is some concern for this specific species of fish because it seems to be dropping in numbers at several spots where it was abundant. This is also affecting the price and the demand for this particular type of tuna.

The Bluefin Tuna Endangered Species — *Source: wwf*

The current status of the Atlantic bluefin tuna is listed as a “vulnerable” species, but this is one step away from being listed as “endangered”. As long as proper regulations are made when fishing bluefin, the population should remain healthy enough to avoid endangerment.

The Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Season

Atlantic Bluefin tuna is more likely to be found starting early during the month of November and they can be found on as little as 100 feet of water during the month of December. They will often stick around all the way to the month of May.

The Atlantic bluefin is the one that most fishermen are looking to catch due to the higher market price that it holds. The other two species are also on-demand, but not quite as valuable as the bluefin.

Fishing Atlantic Bluefin tuna

The sport of fishing has always been quite fascinating to a large number of people all over the world. Atlantic Bluefin tuna is one of those species that everyone wants to catch for the purpose of sport or profit.

Being able to fish an Atlantic bluefin tuna for the purpose of sport and with the rules and regulations of sports fishing is a very demanding process. It requires stamina and patience as you fight with a fish that has an incredible amount of strength.

Bluefin vs Yellowfin Tuna

The first evident difference between these two species of tuna is the size. The bluefin can be found at a massive 1,000 pounds, while the yellowfin is usually not going to get past the 500-pound mark. It’ very rare to see a yellowfin that reaches anything close to 600 pounds, while the bluefin is very likely to be found at 500 to 700 pounds with ease.

As far as culinary value, the Bluefin is also the winner due to a more concentrated taste and a higher fat content that gives it that extra value. If you seek quality, taste, and nutrition value, bluefin tuna has the edge over yellowfin.

The colours are part of the reason why they have been named that way. Each one has fins that are coloured in blue and yellow respectively, all though they both share shades of colour from the opposite name.

The 3 Million-Dollar Atlantic Bluefin Tuna

Just to give people an idea of the appeal of Atlantic Bluefin tuna in the sushi community – Kiyoshi Kimura, a man that is famous for his self-proclaimed title of Sushi king, spent almost 1.8 million dollars on the first Atlantic Bluefin tuna to be sold in the year 2020.

Threatened Bluefin Tuna Sells For $3 Million In Tokyo Market — *Source: npr.org*

While this seems like an unbeatable price, a Japanese restaurant chain bought a bluefin tuna for an incredible $3 million. This is another Atlantic bluefin tuna record for the most expensive specimen ever sold at least to public knowledge.

This goes significantly over the actual value of the fish, but it does prove the point that this particular tuna species is on high demand and it has reached an extremely popular status worldwide. The tuna bluefin price is definitely one that is a true testament to the quality and taste.

Bluefin Tuna Recipe

There are several ways to cook Bluefin tuna and the tuna steak is one of the most popular ways to eat it if you are not interested in sushi rolls. Pan-seared tuna with avocados is also considered a very tasteful dish.

Other more exotic options include maple and mustard seared tuna, bluefin tuna tartare, bluefin tuna pizza, and bluefin tuna burgers. With so many recipes available, the bluefin tuna sushi dish is still the most popular of the bunch. You are not going to find any top-level sushi restaurant that does not offer bluefin tuna sushi in their menu.

Bluefin Tuna Sushi

The most popular use of bluefish tuna is to create sushi dishes. These are considered some of the highest quality sushi dishes in the industry and that is one of the reasons why it will come with a higher price tag in most menus.

You are always going to find bluefin tuna as the option in most prestigious sushi restaurants. Oma in Japan is considered to be the ultimate place for fresh tuna in the world.

Nutrition Facts For Bluefin Tuna

144 calories
39 mg of Sodium
44 fat calories
4.9 g of total fat
1.3 g of saturated fat
23.3 g of protein
3 mg of cholesterol
1.3 g of Omega 3

The protein per serving in bluefin tuna is quite high at 23.3 grams, and this makes it a very good food for bodybuilders and athletes in general. This is not the kind of food you would incorporate into your daily diet due to the cost, but it is good to know that it does provide a great level of nutrition.

Drawbacks Of Eating Bluefin Tuna

The main issue with eating this fish species is that it has become highly endangered, and this means the consumption should be regulated, hence the value being so high. Aside from that, Bluefin tuna can accumulate toxins that are harmful to people, but this is the case with any fish that is no properly washed and cut.

Final Thoughts

The reasons why Atlantic Bluefin tuna is so expensive are clearly established, but the value of this particular fish species is always oscillating depending on how good the catch is during peak season.

The Atlantic bluefin tuna price is always going to be much higher than that of common tuna species, but the cost of this fish is certainly worth it due to the high quality of the meat and the lack of farming options to increase the supply.

Now that you know this, are you ready to try one of the most expensive fish in the sea?