Japan is one of the biggest global markets for tuna, be it fresh, frozen or canned. But with a population close to 128 million, it is impossible for local commerce to meet the fierce demand. In 2012 alone, Japan imported 247,160 tons of tuna and for countries around the world, exporting this delicious fish is propping up their economy, with tuna now being the third most profitable export in Viet Nam, earning them a staggering $526 million (USD) annually. Mexico is also turning extremely high profits farming Bluefin Tuna, with Japan alone importing an average of 150 pieces every single day.
With such a high demand and fierce, affordable competition, it is difficult to see how domestic fisherman could stake a claim in the market. However, Japanese cuisine will always have a large demographic that is far more concerned with quality than quantity, and the honor of supplying the nation with the finest tuna is reserved to a small town of just over 6,000 people in the north-eastern Aomori Prefecture, Oma, home of the Oma Maguro.
Although the waters near Aomori can drop to frighteningly cold temperatures, far beyond the comfort zone of tuna, a thin stream of warmer water, known as the Tsushima Current, slips between Oma and Hokkaido, giving the fishermen a short season of just a few months to catch the fish migrating through their waters. October is commonly seen as the start of season to catch Oma Maguro, a fact that is highlighted by the Oma Maguro Festival that is held that month, a celebration of the abundance of fish that can be caught; people travel nationwide to this sleepy little town, which is bustling for a day, with people enjoying some of the finest seafood in Japan, for a fraction of the price they would pay back home.
What makes Oma Maguro unique is the method of fishing employed to catch the prized fish; whilst other areas may lay out fishing lines many kilometers in length and wait up to 8 hours to haul in their indiscriminate catch, Oma still relies on the very traditional Ippon Zuri style, which is simply a single hook, a hand line and live bait. Pulling these fish in using raw manpower is no easy feat, as many of these fish commonly weigh as much as 90kg or more, with some being as huge as 200kg. This method is not only better for the local eco-system and a more sustainable approach to fishing, it also allows the fisherman to grade the quality of each individual fish, to ensure that the respect and awe the Oma Maguro brand receives is not damaged.
Grading the quality of the fish is also an extremely careful and rather time-consuming process. Before the fish is weighed, it is gutted, so that the consumer is only charged for what they can use. Traditionally the heart is offered to the fisherman who caught the fish. Once the fish has been weighed, the meat is then graded; the tail is cut off at its base and placed in the tuna’s mouth. The exposed flesh at the tail is then scrupulously examined, if the fat content is high as well as evenly spread, the fish is given a higher rating. Makoto Kondo of the highly prestigious Itamae Sushi Japan took the time to tell us about this scrupulous grading system:
“The grading starts straight after we have caught the fish. To begin with the tail is cut off at the base and we let the blood drain out, the fish is then packed in ice immediately; this method insures that the quality of the fish is maintained. A real expert can touch the exposed flesh with their finger to determine the quality of the meat.”
It is this fat content that really sets Oma maguro apart from the competition. Mr. Kondo explained that during the chill months the tuna feed on rich fish such as pacific cod and salmon, which helps them produce a higher fat content to survive the colder winter waters. Mr. Kondo explains how the unique circumstances of Tsushima Current give the Oma region a rare opportunity that is not offered to any other fishing area in Japan:
“Tuna are normally found swimming in the deep ocean, but the bed of the gorge through which the Tsushima Current flows is riddled with rocky trellises, which forces the fish much closer to the surface than they are normally accustomed to. We are then able to catch them as they pass through the shoals.”
Due to the tuna’s evasive nature, industrial trawling is the only sure method of making a catch for most other regions. But as they are drawn much closer to the surface the Oma fishermen are given the chance to employ their Ippon Zuri technique, which has obvious environmental benefits, but also ensures quality is not marred:
“In other areas, a fish may be on a line struggling to escape for hours on end. This causes the fish to burn off calories and the fat that makes the meat so succulent. With Ippon Zuri, we can bring the fish on board far quicker, and leave the rich flesh intact. Therefore, we still very much rely on the Ippon Zuri technique, even though it can be extremely hard work, especially as just one or two people need to haul fish on board that can weigh over 200kg.”
Nature has provided Oma with the ideal circumstances for producing the best tuna in the world, and they have responded with a traditional and sustainable method of catching their famous fish. Quality is at the heart of Oma Maguro, and respect for their prey is the very essence of this small fishing town.
From WINING & DINING in TOKYO 45
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