HANDLING FRESH FISH 



283 



In the Shore Plant. Following unloading, it is frequently necessary to 

 hold the fish for later shipment or processing. In some cases the fish are 

 left in carts holding several hundred pounds and simply topped with 

 crushed ice. A better procedure is to spread the fish on a thick layer of 

 crushed ice laid along a clean concrete floor provided with suitable side 

 boards to segregate various lots along the fish house floor. An excellent 

 procedure used in many progressive fish houses is to provide a separate 



Figure 22.2. Unloading trawl fish at Boston Fish Pier. {National 

 Maine Coast Fisherman.) 



insulated area away from traffic for such iced fish on the floor. The greatest 

 problem in the operation arises from gluts in which fish must be held two 

 or three days before they can be processed. It is under these circumstances 

 that initial high quality of the fish is most important if they are to keep 

 well during processing delay. 



Filleting. A major portion of all trawl-caught fish is sold as fresh fillets. 

 In large operations many of the washing and handling operations are 

 mechanized. In small operations, the fish are washed and filleted by hand 



