Two variants of COVID-19 are putting constraints on New Year’s social gatherings, but many Hawaii residents are carrying on with the tradition of sashimi for the holiday.
Sashimi-grade ahi locally is forecast to be in pretty decent supply and demand through New Year’s Eve on Friday with stable prices similar to last year.
David Marabella, president of Garden &Valley Isle Seafood Inc. in Iwilei, said sales of fresh fish to consumers and businesses including hotels and restaurants have been better this year than last year, largely because of the rebound in tourism from the mainland. He said he doesn’t expect the rapidly spreading omicron variant of the coronavirus to subdue the usual New Year’s holiday surge in business.
“When it comes to the holidays, people will spend money,” Marabella said. “They want what they want.”
The supply of ahi from commercial fishing boats has been relatively good in part due to favorable weather, he added, so prices aren’t expected to be volatile.
Garden &Valley Isle was selling its sole sashimi-grade local bigeye ahi on Wednesday for $24.95 a pound online only for next-day pickup.
At Tamashiro Market in Kalihi, sashimi-quality ahi prices per pound ranged from $20.95 for locally caught “good grade” pieces to $42.95 for No. 1 premium bluefin toro caught off Mexico.
Guy Tamashiro, vice president of the family-operated business, said prices are similar to last year while supply is decent but not as good as he would like.
For instance, on Wednesday the market wasn’t able to obtain any of its most affordable sashimi-grade ahi, tombo, which last year at this time retailed for around $13 to $15 a pound.
Still, he said that other affordable options exist for sashimi, including marlin for $12.95 a pound.
Tamashiro expects that families will treat themselves to good food and traditions even if they do without large parties, which are being discouraged by health officials because of the rapidly spreading omicron variant and the lingering delta variant of COVID-19.
“I think it’s going to be pretty strong this year,” he said.
Today is when fresh ahi slab sales typically surge for Tamashiro Market, and then things are expected to get busiest on New Year’s Eve.
Some residents seeking ahi sashimi, poke and other special foods for New Year’s may have to shop beyond their usual sources because of coronavirus-related staffing constraints or health concerns for some businesses.
One popular spot on Oahu for sashimi platters and other New Year’s menu items, Tanioka’s Seafoods &Catering in Waipahu, closed Monday due to the recent record coronavirus case spike and doesn’t plan to reopen until Jan. 19.
However, previously made and paid-for orders will be ready for scheduled curbside pickups through Friday, the company announced.
Urban Honolulu resident Jason Mizuuchi said he plans to buy a little less ahi this year compared with pre-pandemic times because his holiday gathering will include only family as opposed to family, friends of family and friends of friends.
Mizuuchi intends to pick up orders Friday from Tamashiro Market and Keeaumoku Seafood. He likes that prices appear around what they were last year, but really, that doesn’t matter so much.
“Prices go up and we still buy it,” he said.
