Fish is usually considered a high-quality, even luxury protein source. It has amazing nutrients and health benefits too, making it an all-around wonderful choice to eat. But while some fish, like salmon or shrimp, are common ingredients in a meal, what about the most expensive fish you can eat?
Depending on the type of fish, the availability of the fish, and of course how it’s prepared, some fish can cost upwards of thousands of dollars to eat. Want to try out the most expensive fish? Then read more to plan your next exquisite dinner menu.
6. Yellowfin Tuna
Yellowfin Tuna, or Ahi, might be a common fish if you’re familiar with sushi, but it’s apparently hard to get ahold of. If you’re trying to find a high-quality Ahi Tuna, you’re going to spend quite a bit of money on it.
When caught locally, the average price for this fish can be upwards of $15 per pound. And given that an Ahi can weigh up to 400 pounds, you’re looking at spending nearly $6,000 for a single fish. That’s not even counting the price for sashimi-grade Ahi. To eat fish raw, you need to make sure it’s a prime specimen, which can cost around $40 a pound, making it even more expensive.
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5. Swordfish
Swordfish is another one of the most expensive fish that you can eat, averaging at around $60 per pound. Swordfish is typically served as a steak because it’s thick and meaty, unlike most other flakey fish. It’s usually prepared on a kabob or the grill.
One of the many reasons why this piece of fish is more expensive is that it’s a bit tricky to catch swordfish. While they only weigh between 50 to 200 pounds (coming in at around $3,000 to $12,000), they’re fighters in the water. But if you do get your hands on one, it’s quite the delicacy.
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4. Wild Alaskan King Salmon
Salmon is a popular staple in restaurants and kitchens. But of course, the affordable salmon we purchase at the grocery store doesn’t come close to the Wild Alaskan King Salmon which is priced at around $50 per pound.
Wild caught will always be more expensive, but King Salmon, also known as Ivory King, has a taste and texture that is indistinguishable. It’s a novelty when it comes to salmon, and with most weighting around 35 pounds, a whole fish is around $1,200.
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3. Pufferfish
Wait, aren’t pufferfish poisonous? Yes, to both sea creatures and humans! So why eat it? Fewer than 50 states in the United States serve pufferfish on the menu, and it takes specialized training to properly cook and prepare it so it’s not toxic.
It’s warned that if you want to try pufferfish, to only go to the most upscale restaurants to ensure you’re not in danger. Due to their toxin, called tetrodotoxin, that runs throughout the entire body of the pufferfish, it’s not only a danger to get ahold of but to even prepare. The toxin makes it one of the most expensive fish to eat, ranging from as low as $15 to as high as $200.
2. Glass Eel
Glass eels are next on the list of most expensive fish to eat. The eel can be found along the northeastern coastlines of North America and are essentially baby eels. They have a translucent appearance and are incredibly small only around 3 inches.
They’re considered delicacies in many cultures like Japan, China, and Spain, with Maine boasting the largest and most profitable glass eel fishery in the United States. They’re so luxurious that they cost around $2,000 per pound.
1. Bluefin Tuna
In first place for the most expensive fish that you can eat, we have the Bluefin tuna. Most can be found off the coast of Japan in the Pacific Ocean. They’re one of the largest tunas and also the most delicious. They have a distinct flavor that makes them a sought-after delicacy.
They’re often prepared with sushi. One of the biggest reasons that Bluefin tuna is so expensive these days is because of overfishing and the soaring demand, making them hard to get ahold of. These bad boys are incredibly expensive, with more averaging around $5,000. But recently, in 2019, one was auctioned off for an astounding $3.1 million.
