KANAZAWA, Japan (Kyodo) -- Premium yellowtail "Kirameki" fetched a record-tying 4 million yen ($25,700) for a single fish on Monday during the first auction of the season in Ishikawa Prefecture, nearly two years after a strong quake ravaged the central Japan area.

The 14.5-kilogram winter delicacy, meeting the Kirameki brand's strict certification standard of at least 14 kg, was auctioned off at a fish market in Kanazawa to a local supermarket operator.

"I want to support the disaster-hit area by delivering good food and energizing Noto," Munehiro Yamaguchi, president of Dontaku Co.

The yellowtail, which was caught and delivered from Noto, will be sold as sushi after being displayed at one of the supermarkets.

The Kirameki certification system started in 2022, when another yellowtail under the brand also fetched 4 million yen.

Local market officials allow yellowtail to be sold under the Kirameki brand only if they are caught in Ishikawa using designated nets between December and January and satisfy certain criteria in weight, shape and appearance.

The Noto Peninsula and nearby areas were ravaged by a magnitude-7.6 earthquake on New Year's Day in 2024 that killed hundreds of people and wreaked havoc on a region known for traditional crafts and tourism.

The winter yellowtail fishing season in Ishikawa is scheduled to continue until the end of February.