WHOLESALE PRICES AT TOKYO CENTRAL WHOLESALE MARKET
DECEMBER 3 - 15, 1998

All prices shown are in yen/kg unless otherwise stated. Exchange
rates are: 116-120 yen = U.S.$1.00 for December 3 - 15, 1998.   
----------------------------------------------------------------
Species   Date of   Sales     Origin       Price range (yen/kg) 
          Sale      volume                  High  Average  low  
----------------------------------------------------------------
BLUEFIN TUNA, fresh                                             
          Dec. 11   59 fish   Los Angeles    5,000-3,917-3,000  
BIGEYE TUNA, fresh                                              
          Dec. 15   45 fish   Fiji           1,600-1,028-  500  
          Dec. 3     1 fish   New Zealand    1,500              
          Dec. 3     8 fish   Australia      2,500-1,920-1,300  
          Dec. 15   93 fish   Bali           2,700-1,162-  400  
YELLOWFIN TUNA, fresh                                           
          Dec. 3     9 fish   Australia      3,000-1,370-  500  

SEA URCHIN ROE, fresh                                           
          Dec. 15 1,130 trays Boston         3,700-1,500/tray*  
          Dec. 14 2,122 trays Canada         1,900- 800/tray*   
          Dec. 4  1,607 trays China          2,800-1,400/tray*  
          Dec. 4    714 trays Los Angeles    7,700-2,200/tray*  
          Dec. 4    424 trays San Francisco  3,300-1,800/tray*  
          Dec. 4  3,788 packs                1,200-  350/pack** 
 
                         *   (tray=280-380 grams in net weight) 
                         **  (pack=    100 grams in net weight) 
ALASKA POLLOCK ROE                                              
 Salted, processed, frozen roe                                  
          Grade A             U.S.A.    Large     2,500-1,500   
                                        Medium    3,500-1,800   
                                        Small     2,700-1,600   
HERRING ROE                                                     
 Salted products              Canada    Large     5,500-4,800   
          Grade A                       Medium    4,500-3,800   
                                        Small     4,000-3,500   
HERRING ROE ON KELP                                             
                              Canada              6,000-4,000   
                              San Francisco       4,000-2,500   
SALMON ROE (SUJIKO)                                             
 Salted, processed                                              
          Red:           Bristol Bay    Grade A   3,300-3,200   
                                        Grade B   2,900-2,800   
                                        Grade C   2,500-2,400   

          Chum:               PWS       Grade A   2,400-2,200   
                                        Grade B   2,000-1,800   
                                        Grade C   1,600-1,400   

          Pink:                         Grade A   1,500-1,300   

SALMON ROE (IKURA)                                              
                              Japan     Top grade 5,000-4,200   
                                        Average   4,200-4,000   
                              Alaska              3,200-3,000   
OYSTER, fresh                                                   
               Dec. 14        Japan, Sanriku      2,700- 600    
                              Japan, Hiroshima    2,000-1,000   

SARDINE, fresh, extra large                                     
               Dec. 3         Japan               1,000- 700    
SNOW CRAB (TANNER CRAB)                                         
 C. bairdi, section with claws, cooked frozen, shrink-pack,     
 5 kg-carton        Alaska    5 L            2,700-2,100        
                              4 L            2,300-1,800        
SABLEFISH (BLACK COD)                                           
 Frozen, dressed    Alaska & Canada                             
                              over 7 lbs/fish     1,050-  980   
                                 5-7 lbs/fish     1,100-1,000   
                                 4-5 lbs/fish     1,050-  950   
                                 3-4 lbs/fish             950   
                                 2-3 lbs/fish             900   
                                 1-2 lbs/fish             850   
SALMON                                                          
 Red: frozen, dressed, IQF, grade A                             
                    Bristol Bay                                 
                              2-4 lbs/fish   1,050-1,000        
                              4-6 lbs/fish   1,100-1,050        
                              6-9 lbs/fish   1,150-1,100        
                    SE                                          
                              2-4 lbs/fish   1,100-1,050        
                              4-6 lbs/fish   1,200-1,180        
                              6-9 lbs/fish   1,250-1,200        
 Red: fresh, wild                                               
                    Alaska    4-6 kg/fish                       
 Silver: frozen, dressed                                        
                    Chile     2-4 lbs/fish     730- 700         
                              4-6 lbs/fish     720- 680         
                              6-9 lbs/fish     700- 660         
 Silver: frozen, troll                                          
                    Alaska    6-9 lbs/fish     580- 550         
 King: fresh                                                    
               New Zealand    3-4 kg/fish    1,050- 900         
 Atlantic: fresh, semi-dressed, standard grade                  
                    Norway    3-4 kg/fish      950- 700         
ABALONE, live                                                   
                    Japan     Ezo            8,500-6,000        
                              Kuro                              
                              Aka                               
                              Mata                              
                    Australia                5,000              
SURIMI, frozen                                                  
                         Ship-processed: SA    450              
                                         FA    420              
                         Land-processed:       400-  280        
ROCK SOLE                     With roe  L      520              
                                        M      500              
                                        S      460              
FLOUNDER, fresh                                                 
     Dec. 3         Japan                    2,500-1,800        
                    U.S.A.                                      
                    China                    2,500-1,800        
                    Ecuador                                     
----------------------------------------------------------------
Source:  NMFS, Long Beach, CA                                   
Contact: Sunee C. Sonu                                          

Tokyo Central Wholesale Prices
Japanese Market News
Southwest Region Home Page