A nearly 500-pound bluefin tuna caught off the San Diego coast is believed to be the largest ever taken by rod and reel on the West Coast — and the massive fish is now making its way through a local supply chain, from the boat to a fishmonger down the dock to Herb and Wood restaurant in Little Italy.
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"I think the biggest rod and reel bluefin tuna or any tuna that's ever been caught here on the West Coast," fisherman Markus Medak said.
Chef Aidan plans to serve the fish for four weeks, preparing it every way possible until none of it is left.
The price paid for the fish remains undisclosed. When asked, the fishmonger, Tommy Gones, was direct.
"How much did you sell it for, can you tell me?" I asked.
"No, it's business -- proprietary information," the fishmonger said.
Fish of this size are typically caught off the coast of Japan, making this San Diego catch unusual, Markus says. Markus believes the fish's presence here reflects decades of responsible fishing practices in the North Pacific.
"In the late '90s, bluefin tuna in the North Pacific were horrifically overfished... we have had fisheries managers that came together and actually worked to make some real changes... they have made an absolutely dramatic recovery across the North Pacific," Markus said.
For Aidan Owens, the culinary director of Herb and Wood, the catch landing in his restaurant is representative of deep ties to San Diegans.
"Now that it's here, it's a little daunting," Owens said. "... I think if you're able to support local and keep the money local... you really do find a lot of other people with the same mindset and then you end up getting better products."
He planned to carve it for diners at 6:30 Thursday evening in the Herb and Wood dining room, then break it into steaks. He says he'll use even the bone marrow in the fish, not wasting a bite.
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