Ahi in good supply for New Year’s Eve

Hawaii residents hoping to ring in the New Year while dining on sashimi are in luck, as the “catch has been good.”

Guy Tamashiro, manager of Tamashiro Market in Kalihi, said Wednesday there were about 110,000 pounds of fish for sale at the Honolulu Fish Auction at Pier 38 — a mix of opah, monchong, mahi, ono and ahi.

As a result of the day’s catch, ahi prices at Tamashiro’s ranged from $11.95 a pound for “good-grade” ahi to a high of $34.95 for premium grade. Tamashiro said if the amount of ahi caught continues through the week, the prices should be near the same on New Year’s Eve.

The middle-grade ahi priced at about $15 to $25 will be the most plentiful, Tamashiro said.

Tamashiro said that for Christmas, ahi was very affordable, with a low of $8.88 a pound.

“Catch has been good. … Whether it carries through all the way, we don’t know,” Tamashiro said. “We had a lot for Christmas. I think we’ll have a good selection; it is just a matter of the price we can get it.”

Eating sashimi for the new year is a tradition for many in Hawaii. In Japan, the thinly sliced pieces of raw fish ensure good luck for the year.

Waianae resident Mike Martin, 50, said he stopped by Tamashiro’s on Wednesday to grab dinner and see whether there will be enough ahi available when he returns Friday.

Like many families in Hawaii, Martin and his family celebrate the new year with ahi sashimi. Martin said he spends about $100 on ahi for the tradition.

“I usually buy for the family and get good luck for the full year,” he said.

Tamashiro’s regulars didn’t notice much variation in prices for ahi at the market Wednesday.

Kaneohe resident Leanora Ching, 74, said she grabs poke at Tamashiro Market a couple times a week for lunch but hasn’t noticed a major change in ahi prices in recent weeks.

“This year, it’s not too bad,” she said.

Kaaawa resident Edyta Franczak, 38, who stops by Tamashiro Market frequently, said prices have stayed the same.

“It has been like this all year,” she said.

It all depends on the boats’ yield. There are about 120 working, Tamashiro said.

“With tunas, it’s a world market,” he said. “Whoever pays the most for the fish, they’re going to get the fish. If the mainland is paying a lot for it, fish are going to be sent over there. If they’re catching a lot of fish on the East Coast or the West Coast, that keeps the prices down on this side.”

One indicator of the volume is the earlier call time at the fish auction. On Wednesday, Tamashiro was at the Honolulu Fish Auction at 3:30 a.m.

“We had 4 a.m. before Christmas, and (today) is going to be a 3:30 auction,” Tamashiro said.

For New Year’s Eve, “it is going to be 3 a.m.,” he added. Normally the auction starts at 5 a.m.

Foodland Farms at Ala Moana Center priced ahi at $25.99 a pound on Wednesday.

Justin Tanioka, general manager at Tanioka’s Seafoods & Catering, said he expects to see roughly the same weight in orders as last year. For sashimi, Tanioka’s filled 500 pounds of orders last year.

Tanioka said he estimates platters will range from $30.95 a pound to $40 a pound on New Year’s Eve.

“We’re just taking orders now,” he said. “Usually everyone buys one platter, so 6 to 7 pounds.”

Tanioka said the holidays are the busiest time of the year.

“There is no comparison,” he said.