Solid holiday ahi haul helping keep prices down

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - An above-average holiday haul of Hawaii's favorite New Year's Eve menu item is helping revelers celebrate the arrival of 2018 in affordable – and delicious – fashion.

Officials at the Honolulu Fish Auction say they've brought in between 136,000 and 150,000 pounds of fish every day this week as retailers stock up for holiday sales.

"The quantities are good this year, the catch is good. This year the catches are great," said Guy Tamashiro, vice president of Tamashiro Market. "It's just starting to get crazy. People are starting to panic as we get closer to the time."

The catch includes a variety of fish species, including the four main ahi species: bigeye, which is the target catch in Hawaii, along with yellowfin, albacore (tombo) and skipjack (aku). The amount and variety of ahi and varied grades of quality translate to more options for hungry consumers.

Many local markets say the New Year's holiday, when many Hawaii residents traditionally dine on ahi as a good luck charm, is a massive business opportunity.

"It's the busiest time of the year," Tamashiro said. "New Year's is the biggest holiday for us."

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