The Most Expensive Fish Ever Sold

The most expensive fish ever sold was a bluefin tuna auctioned for a record-breaking $3.1 million in Japan.

• Fish Type: Pacific Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus orientalis)
• Weight: 612 pounds (278 kg)
• Price: $3.1 million (333.6 million yen)
• Buyer: Kiyoshi Kimura, owner of the famous Sushizanmai restaurant chain
• Location: Tokyo's Toyosu Fish Market
• Year: 2019

• Prestige: The first tuna auction of the year in Japan is highly symbolic, with businesses competing for the highest bid.
• Rarity: Pacific bluefin tuna is an endangered species, making large, high-quality specimens rare.
• Cultural Significance: Sushi restaurants prize the fatty belly (otoro) of bluefin tuna, which is considered a delicacy.

Despite this record sale, bluefin tuna populations have declined due to overfishing, leading to conservation efforts to manage stocks more sustainably.