Tuna? I'll Pass.

My social media feed threw up going-ons of what has been branded as 'Sushi-Con'. It also warranted a note in an article by Thomas Beller titled 'Meet the Star of Sushi-Con: A 400-Pound Tuna', published in The New York Times on September 29, 2024.

Of course the star was a bluefin tuna. It always is. Supermarkets, restaurants and events make slicing up a tuna a show, an event worthy to be ticketed. This particular one trotted out at Sushi-Con is 10 years old. 

While commercial fishing for Atlantic bluefin tuna is highly regulated, diners still seek a taste of the fish, and its value as sashimi remains high. This fish has been so plundered from the Mediterranean seas that fishing companies have been accused of illegal catches by the metric tons. The bluefin tuna trade in the black market is totally a thing.

Part trade show and part consumer-facing forum, the event has taken place four times since 2018. This was the first year it had been branded Sushi-Con. True World Foods was sponsoring it with Noble Fresh Cart, a start-up developing a direct-to-consumer delivery service for sushi-grade fish. The all-you-can-eat event featured over 50 vendors offering samples of their fish and other products. Though the cuisine is Japanese, the fish came from all over the world.

Nut only one was the star of the “Ultimate Tuna Cutting Show,” the main event where the bluefin tuna, roughly the size of a torpedo and with shimmering silver scales, would be carved up and served to the gathered attendees.

The priority for top-grade sushi is a round belly, indicative of a plentiful layer of fat. This particular fish was caught in June off the coast of Ibiza, a Spanish island in the Mediterranean Sea, by the Balfegó Group, a fishing fleet with ties to the area that stretch back five generations.

I don't eat tuna at all. I'm not going to judge you if you insist on eating tuna because you like the flavors of toro / chutoro / otoro, that's your prerogative. But don't tell me to eat it. Sure, I've attended tuna auctions (as a tourist) at the old Tsukiji Market, gone out with the fishing boats and check out how the catch travels from seas to fishing boats to the market vendors. I have also eaten my fair share of tuna and decided that my initial opinions of it hold — I don't like the flavors of its fatty belly or as akami. I don't even like canned tuna, or those mashed versions made palatable with cucumbers and onions in sandwiches. 

The point is, I'm not supportive of illegal fishing and especially not for bluefin tuna, which is oddly isn't considered critically endangered under the US Endangered Species Act. At best, they're 'vulnerable'. The Atlantic bluefin tuna is 'at risk' and the Pacific bluefin tuna is 'vulnerable'. By and by, the yellowfin and big eye tuna will suffer a similar plight because human greed knows no bounds. 

The entire idea of attending a 'Sushi-Con' isn't attractive to me. I like food, but not food festivals. Never mind about hygiene control of food handling on such a massive scale. I'm not sure what the attendees at this Sushi-Con would actually learn about sushi and the idea of omakase. 

Commercial fishing for the Atlantic bluefin tuna, the largest species of tuna, is highly regulated, said Youssef Meski, wholesale sales director for Balfegó. Fishing season starts in late May and extends only five weeks. While some operations use nets, hooks and harpoons, Balfegó captures its tuna alive and says it focuses on sustainable practices that stress quality over quantity. 

The fish, once captured, are corralled into a pen and towed alive to Balfegó’s facility outside Barcelona. There, they are fed herring, mackerel and sardines, which are also wild-caught, Mr. Meski said.