Deep in Tasman country, there’s a rare breed of fish being bred so big it could feed a hundred people.
The tyee is a type of salmon so sought after it’s practically reached mythical status in North America and it’s only recently been found in New Zealand by accident.
Now the fish it’s quietly being bred and sold exclusively for international clientele at a very exclusive price.
“The thing is they've been here all along. They've been here longer since the company has been here we just didn't know it,“ said Grant Rosewame, New Zealand King Salmon CEO told Seven Sharp.
Nicknamed the ‘Wagyu of the Sea’, the prized fish been sought after by top chefs around the globe and can grow to a hefty 60 kilograms.
Tyee are rarely ever seen and almost never caught. That's mainly because when they're young they look like normal salmon.
“When they get to a satisfactory size, everyone has got a chef’s name on it. We’ll harvest it and send it to the chef,” said Rosewame.
It’s resulted in the breed being culled off before it has the chance to grow into giants.
The only place in the world you can buy one is here at New Zealand King Salmon, but you’ll have a tough time getting one.
“It's like a grandiose version of the restaurants, where you pick the lobster sort of thing. That's right. It's like a massive version of that. It is,” Rosewame said.
Many of the fish have been pre-bought years ago, the latest to an American for $1700.
They’re not even able to reel one in for closer inspection, as any stress at all for these fish is out of the question.
For those lucky enough to buy one, you’ll get something special to wrap it in, itself highly sought after.
It’s a special kind of wasabi grown locally from their own farm.
Watch the full Seven Sharp story above.
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