Hagen Stehr was at home in Adelaide, Australia, on March 12 when his company's chief scientist called with news that their bet of about $48 million on the breeding of southern bluefin tuna in captivity — a feat never before accomplished — might finally pay off.
"Big fella, you better come back," scientist Morten Deichmann said to the 185-cm Stehr.
Stehr, chairman of Australia-based Clean Seas Tuna Ltd., pushed his Toyota Land Cruiser to its top speed of 180 kph as he rushed more than 500 km to his company's fish hatchery outside Arno Bay in southern Australia to see the fertilized eggs for himself.