Proper handling ensures high quality fish 



Fresh fish: 



Photo by Scott Taylor 



To some people, buy- 

 ing fresh fish is Hke buy- 

 ing a car. If it looks good 

 on the outside, they'll 

 take it. But with fish, it's 

 just as important to 

 check under the gills as it 

 is to check under the 

 hood before making a 

 choice. 



High quality and 

 freshness is essential in 

 the fishing industry and 

 depends on everyone 

 from the fisherman to 

 the retailer. Extra care 

 in handling means a bet- 

 ter product for con- 

 sumers, says Gary Van 

 Housen, UNC Sea 

 Grant's seafood 

 marketing specialist. 

 And when consumers are 

 satisfied, they'll come 

 back for more. 



It's difficult to generalize how quality can be main- 

 tained in fish because of the variety of species, says Van 

 Housen. Before joining Sea Grant, Van Housen served as 

 a seafood inspection agent for the National Marine 

 Fisheries Service in New York. He tested domestic and 

 export products for quality, condition, weights and 

 counts and worked with wholesalers in the U.S. Grade A 

 program for seafood. In addition, he served as a consul- 

 tant to fish processing plants, giving tips on overall plant 

 sanitation and making sure machinery, processing 

 techniques and procedures were up to government stan- 

 dards. 



Now Van Housen uses his expertise to advise fisher- 

 men, processors, retailers and restaurant owners in North 

 Carolina on ways to improve their handling of fresh fish. 

 To ensure high quality trawl-caught finfish such as gray 

 sea trout or flounder. Van Housen suggests the following 

 techniques for fishermen. 



Rinse the fish after they are hauled onto the boat, and 

 before storage, cull the catch according to size. Then the 

 fish should be iced down and placed in an insulated hold. 

 Alternate layers of ice and fish should be stacked to a 

 height no greater than three feet. This prevents weight 

 loss and crushing of the fish on the bottom of the pile. 



Fish should be stored at a temperature no greater than 

 33 F. Higher temperatures hasten deterioration. Van 

 Housen says. If the proper temperature is maintained, 

 fish can remain in top quality even after eight to 10 days 

 on the boat. Poorly handled fish, however, may be in 

 good condition for only three or four days. 



Ice is a costly expense 

 for fishermen, but Van 

 Housen recommends its 

 generous use. The 

 amount of ice varies ac- 

 cording to the time of 

 year, what kind of catch 

 is expected and how 

 much insulation is 

 provided. Flaked ice is 

 better for the fish, says 

 Van Housen, because it 

 doesn't puncture them 

 or scrape their skin as 

 much as crushed ice. 

 Crushed ice lasts longer, 

 however. 



Proper handling 

 techniques at the 

 processing plant also en- 

 sure a good quality 

 product, says Van 

 Housen. Because fish is 

 highly perishable, 

 remove fish from the 

 boat as quickly as possible. Rinse them in a wash tank 

 or with a spray wash. Then sort fish by species and size 

 and place them in waxed boxes filled with ice. 



In general, most fish from North Carolina waters are 

 shipped "in the round," or whole, to a wholesaler who 

 may process or rebox the product. However, some dealers 

 in the state do head and gut or fillet the fish before ship- 

 ment. 



Fresh finfish that go directly to a fish market or super- 

 market should be high in quality. It is important for con- 

 sumers to take care in selecting fish, as, in general, it is 

 not inspected like other meats. Congress is considering 

 implementing a nationwide seafood inspection program, 

 says Van Housen, but so far, the costs have been 

 prohibitive. 



A few items Van Housen suggests checking are the 

 gills, eyes, skin, meat and odor. The gills should be bright 

 red rather than dull pink. Eyes should be clear and 

 bright, not dull and sunken. The fish's skin should be 

 shiny, and the meat, firm and elastic. And its odor should 

 be fresh and mild, similar to fresh seaweed. 



The quality of frozen fish depends on how it was han- 

 dled before freezing and the way it was frozen. A layer of 

 ice glaze can protect fish from oxidation and dehydra- 

 tion. Buyers should check the deglazed weight of seafood 

 because some processors attempt to sell ice glaze as a 

 product's net weight. 



Fresh or frozen. North Carolina seafood products are a 

 good buy, says Van Housen. If it's handled properly, no 

 one will take home a lemon. 



— Sarah Friday 



