Sushi season opens anew: $736,000 fish

[Soundbounder]

Kiyoshi Kimura, this year's big spender and president of Kiyomura Co., paid almost double what was paid last year at the first auction of 2011.

But his decision to pay so much may have been more of a publicity stunt than a true reflection of the market for bluefin. When asked why he willingly paid three-quarters of a million dollars for one fish, Kimura said he "wanted to give the country a boost," according to the AP. Japan is still reeling from the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami that tore along its northern coast, leaving death and destruction in their wake. The fishing industry was not spared in the damage.

Why Overpriced Japanese Sushi Is Bad For Bluefin Stocks : The Salt : NPR