It is a long-held tradition in Hawaii to welcome in the New Year and ensure prosperity by consuming red fish, especially ahi sashimi.
Eating fresh ahi is considered the most widely observed New Year’s tradition in Hawaii. The custom of eating sashimi-grade ahi comes from local Japanese culture as the fish represents prosperity for the new year.
Although in Japanese tradition, ahi is not considered a red fish, it has been adopted in local culture.
“The red fish is a symbol of good luck, ” said Linda Nagai. “The red fish they use in Japan is the Tai, which is a symbol of good luck. But here we use onaga, Opakapaka, etc. and it needs to be cooked whole. In Japanese, we say omedetai or omedetou when we congratulate someone. This is good luck.”
The price of this traditional delicacy has varied year to year depending on availability and demand. This year, ahi prices in West Hawaii varied from $22.99 to $40 per pound at local grocery stores in West Hawaii, similar to recent years. Bluefin, imported from Japan, runs upward of $40.
One of the deciding factors on the price of the prized fish is the the ocean conditions for fishermen and the abundance of the fish in waters, according to Suisan Fish Market in Hilo.
“The weather, wind and tide play a big part in the catch,” said Noreen Toledo of Suisan Fish Market. “The west side has been catching a lot more the last few weeks.”
She said there has been more of a demand for ahi in East Hawaii at this time of year, indcating it may be due to the cultural differences between the two sides of the island. The east side is home to more traditional families, she said, where as the west side has seen more of an influx of newcomers that are not as familiar with the long-practiced customs of the island.
“The demand is still here, but because of COVID, people are not gathering in the larger groups that they were before,” she said.
Toledo said Suisan hasn’t raised prices because smaller restaurants and stores wouldn’t purchase their fish if the price was too high.
“We are all about fresh fish. People who know, know the difference,” she said.