Taipei: A Pacific bluefin tuna identified as the "first Su'ao tuna" of the season was successfully auctioned in Yilan County on Saturday, garnering NT$7,200 (US$226) per kilogram and totaling nearly NT$1.99 million.
According to Focus Taiwan, the 276-kilogram tuna was sold at Nanfang'ao Fishing Port, where buyers engaged in competitive bidding before the sale concluded. The tuna was caught by the Su'ao-registered vessel Quan Chang Long No. 168 on Tuesday, and it was delivered to the port the following day as the township's initial catch of the season. The Su'ao Fishermen's Association awards the title of "first Su'ao tuna" to the initial vessel that returns with a live-caught tuna, captured by longline and weighing a minimum of 180 kilograms.
The Quan Chang Long No. 168 has previously earned this distinction in both 2020 and 2025. The Marine and Fisheries Development Office in Yilan reported that 2,240 Pacific bluefin tuna were auctioned in Nanfang'ao in 2023, which increased to 4,000 in 2024 before declining to 3,545 in the previous year. The office also noted that Saturday's auction officially commenced this year's bluefin tuna season.