I don't know why the guys go to that buyer. He seems to undercut the price. $12.00/pound when he says it's a nice fish. Other buyers are closer to $20.00/pound and higher with the same quality. Something is fishy with that guy.
I just watched the last few episodes of a season and I'm thinking the same thing, the one guy pays $17-$21LB all day every day, cut to the other guy and they come to the "this's a real nice fish guys, good fat, nice oil, beautiful core,,I'll give ya $15LB and the crew cheers instead of the obvious WTF? that comes from our unique perspective as viewers.
Other than eating a ton of solid white albacore I've got no knowledge of "the process", but I do have eyes and ears that are more than able to deduce that things just don't line up when it comes to the different buyers.(you can't script the catch, but they can manipulate the results, NatGeo that is)
I'd kill to fish like that and even the losers worst days would be alright with me, long as I had the right boat and equipment of course so I refrain from feeling sorry for those guys, they got it made by a longshot.