A GIANT pacific bluefin tuna was caught off the North Coast of NSW earlier this week.
The tuna was caught by a longliner vessel working off Coffs Harbour and weighed 271kg.
The catch is likely to be a record-breaker in NSW with the largest tuna previously recorded by the CSIRO weighing in at 148kg and measuring 185cm.
“It certainly is a spectacular fish and in pretty good condition,” Erik Poole, supply and business manager at the Sydney Fish Market, told nine.com.au.
Poole said the local market generally targets tuna in the 40kg to 50kg range with bigger catches normally sent overseas to Japan.
“A fish of that size isn’t something we’d target because they’re just too big,” he said.
“The fish needs to be used within in a few days so to use all of that sashimi is a big ask.
“And normally only the bigger buyers would be able to afford a fish of that size.”
The tuna was sold at the Sydney Fish Market to major seafood retailer Claudio’s Seafood, which supplies a large number of Japanese restaurants around Sydney.
Poole said the fact a local supplier was able to buy the fish was a positive sign of the Australian food industry recovering from the struggles of COVID-19.
“Being able to afford to eat good quality fish like that opposed to something that comes vacuum-packed from overseas is great news and something we certainly encourage.”
Source: 9 News
