Tuesday, June 16, 2015

The price of Tuna and shark attacks

 tuna 3

Strangely enough it was just over a week ago when I noted the average price of Tuna fish was ridiculously low in comparison to the past two years.

The price drop for a factory boat processed can of tuna has dropped more than 40%.

What that generally indicates is an abundance of market supply, too substantial for just a general drop in demand.  Unfortunately, this also means a depletion of resource origin in the water, less tuna swimming about.  Noting a significant shelf price drop indicates the supply growth is several months past.

So I checked global price sourcing.  [Because sport tuna fishing has been a hobby of mine since an accidental catch of a 300 lb “Big Eye” two decades ago netted me enough money to buy a brand new car]  Yep, confirmed, early 2015 Global pricing reflected a tuna price nosedive amid the more famous Japanese markets for “Bluefin”, a market indicator.

Too many of all Tuna species harvested.  What does that mean?

3 comments:

  1. This article doesn't make any sense. In the past ten years (according to google) US tuna consumption has dropped 30%, mostly based on mercury scares. This would definitely account for price drops in the market.

    And the last line is ambiguously written. If it means that supplies are up because of overfishing THIS YEAR, then it stands to reason that there will be a price correction next year when fewer boats are still in business and large hauls of tuna will be harder to find. It seems odd that tuna boats would intentionally cut their own profits by overfishing in one season.

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  2. There are two different tuna markets. There is the one for the big boats and factory ships that put Charlie Tuna in a can and there is the export market for big, select tuna
    that are loaded on jets and taken to Japan for Sashimi (to be eaten raw). Most folks here call that Sushi but sushi just means something wrapped in a rice cake. Folks in Hawaii eat Spam sushi and there's no fish in it!

    Watch the show Wicked Tuna on TV. I hate the show but it is realistic about the Tuna market. A nice, high fat content Tuna, properly handled will bring 15 to 20 a pound whole less the head. Heck, the Japanese fish buyer in Beaufort, NC was paying around 10 bucks a pound for large, whole flounder earlier this spring. By large I mean
    8 lbs or so and up. CH

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    Replies
    1. Beaufort, NC

      Thanks and I didn't know they came down here.

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