It's all a far cry from when Stehr began working in the industry in the 1960s.

FORBES: On The Cover/Top Stories

But it's Stehr, with only 400 tons, who is trying to push good fortune a step further.

FORBES: The Future Is Fish

Stehr tells of one night when he loaded 70 tons of tuna onto a boat licensed to carry only 40.

FORBES: On The Cover/Top Stories

The quest has set Stehr apart from the Port Lincoln pooh-bahs--they're concerned that if he succeeds, he risks flooding the tuna market.

FORBES: The Future Is Fish

But the German-born Stehr has a penchant for doing things differently.

FORBES: The Future Is Fish

The high prices are attracting poachers, Stehr and other tuna men say, but no one has hard figures on how many fish are being caught illegally.

FORBES: Magazine Article

After opting to remain behind, he won permission to settle there, with Australian immigration officials telling him, "You can stay, but behave--and don't get drunk, " Stehr says.

FORBES: The Future Is Fish