HANDLING FRESH FISH 281 



and engineering considerations of RSW for storage and transport of fish 

 have been covered thoroughly by Roach, Harrison, and Tarr^. 



Sanitation. Fish buyers know from experience that, under comparable 

 conditions, the cleanest boats bring in the best quality fish. ''Good house- 

 keeping" aboard the vessel is associated with careful handling methods 

 because the fisherman who keeps the fish hold, gear, and deck clean is 

 likely to be quality-conscious when he ices his fish. Contamination from 

 any source will affect fish quality. Dirt, slime, fuel oil, rust, grease, blood, 

 scales, and bits of viscera and flesh must be removed and washed away 

 constantly in order to keep the deck and the hold clean. 



The problem of sanitation and housekeeping aboard a boat depends 

 greatly upon its design and construction. The use of concrete, mastic, or 

 metal (corrosion-resistant types) to eliminate the hard-to-clean corners 

 in the holds saves many hours of labor and cleaning during the busy 

 season. In recent trials, aluminum alloys have been found satisfactory 

 for construction of the lining, stanchions, shelves, and pen boards in the 

 holds of large trawlers. Bilges should be cleaned frequently during the 

 fishing season, using a good detergent or bilge-cleaning compound to re- 

 move accumulated dirt, oil, and slime. Pen boards should be scrubbed, 

 sanitized, and allowed to dry after each trip. 



Although the cold-storage plants prepare the ice from clean potable 

 water, ice can be contaminated with dirt or bacteria during crushing and 

 delivery at the dock and during handling aboard the vessel. Since the ice 

 comes in intimate contact with the fish, old ice should be discarded at the 

 end of the fishing trip and new ice should be kept clean. Shovels, utensils, 

 gloves, and the hold should be cleaned at frequent intervals and rinsed 

 with chlorinated water (25 to 50 ppm) or other effective sanitizing 

 solutions. 



Steps in Commercial Handling of Fresh Fish 



On the Vessel. Trips in which the fish are abundant and the weather is 

 good provide the best opportunity for high quality fresh fish. If fishing is 

 slow, the earlier part of the catch may languish too long in the hold while 

 the rest of the catch is obtained. Stormy weather may bruise both the 

 fishermen and their catch. It is well known that a stormy return trip may 

 result in great quality loss from the physical pounding which tends to 

 cause excessive ice loss and soft fish. 



Of those factors under control by the fisherman the most important 

 are speed in getting the fish chilled, care in handling to avoid cuts and 

 bruises, proper dressing and washing the fish, and the correct use of ample 

 ice for the trip conditions. In many fisheries, the fisherman returns his 

 catch within a few hours to port or to a nearby fish buyer. Keeping the 



