http://www.agen.ufl.edu/~foodsaf/sd003.html

A Pocket Guide to Care and Handling
of Fish from Stream to Table

Julie Garden-Robinson, Martin Marchello and Pat Beck

Enjoy Your Catch at its Best

Fish are fun to catch and nutritious to eat. They are high in protein,
rich in vitamins and minerals, and low in saturated fat. Fish oils are
high in polyunsaturated fats that may function in lowering blood
cholesterol.

Proper handling of fish from the time you catch them until you get them
to the table will help maintain optimum eating quality. Keep the
following fish handling tips in mind.

A 3 1/2 ounce portion of fish (before cooking) provides about half of the
daily adult protein requirement and has, depending on the species of
fish, only 100 to 150 calories.

Care on the Water

     Keep fish alive as long as possible. Fish flesh is very perishable.
          A metal link basket or live box is best. A stringer can damage
the fish and increase chances of bacterial contamination.
          If the water is warm, place the fish on ice or keep them in
cool water.
          Don't toss fish into the bottom of the boat where they will dry
out or where their flesh may become bruised and susceptible to
contamination.
          Keep fish out of sunlight and direct heat.

     During winter fishing trips, keep fish covered to prevent them from
freezing and drying out.
          For optimal eating quality, fish should not be frozen by
throwing them out onto the ice.
          Put fish in an ice chest or styrofoam cooler to prevent
freezing and dehydration. Clean them prior to freezing.

     Check fish for signs of disease or parasites.
          A health fish should have firm flesh with no signs of
discoloration/browning, a mild fresh smell, bright clear eyes and red
gills.
          A diseased fish may have sunken eyes or "pop- eyes, "discolored
skin, loose scales, open wounds or gills that are white and slimy or
bloody.
          In some cases, the fish is edible if the diseased area is
removed. Fish should be thoroughly cooked.
          After removing the usable flesh, do not throw the remains back
in the water. Dispose of them properly.
          Decide on the fate of the fish immediately. If you do not want
them, release them right away instead of waiting to decide at the end of
the day, when they may have a reduced chance for survival.
          Check with your local game and fish representative if you find
abnormal growths in the flesh.

     Fish in safe waters.
          Some waters may be contaminated by pesticides or other
substances. For information on the safety of fishing waters, contact your
local health department.
          Contaminants are concentrated in the fatty parts of the fish.
To reduce your risks of consuming contaminants, remove the skin and fat
deposits when you clean fish, or use fillets instead of whole fish.
Choose a cooking method that removes additional fat, such as baking,
broiling or charbroiling.

Care in Cleaning and Storage

     Clean and cool fish as soon as possible. Time and heat can rob
freshness and flavor.
          Fish spoil rapidly doe to their strong digestive juices. If
fish are not cleaned promptly, off flavors may develop.
          You will need a sharp knife to clean the fish. Bleed the fish.
Cut the throat as you would any game animal, and remove the gills and
entrails. Wipe the surface of the fish with a clean cloth or paper towel,
put the fish in a plastic bag, and put on ice.
          If making fillets, rinse the fish in clean cold water to remove
blood, bacteria and enzymes.

     Don't cross-contaminate. Clean the knife after each use.
          When you clean fish at home, wash your hands, the knife and the
cutting board with warm soapy water after each use.

     Store cleaned, fresh fish in the refrigerator in a covered container
and use within two days.
          Fish should be kept moist but not wet.

     Cleaned fish may be frozen whole or as fillets.
          Traditionally, fish have been frozen whole, as they come from
the water. This practice is not recommended, because deterioration may
occur, and poor eating quality may
          result.
          Improperly wrapped frozen fish may become dehydrated - that is,
suffer "freezer burn" - due to contact with air. This condition
negatively affects taste and texture.
          Divide fish into family-size servings and use a plastic
cling-type wrap as an outer covering. Bread bags, waxed paper and
cellophane wraps are poor freezer wraps.
          Remember to press air from the package to help prevent
off-flavors or odors characteristic of rancidity.
          If freezer space is available, smaller fish may be placed in
water in plastic containers, in clean wax- or plastic-lined milk
containers, and then frozen.
          Label each package with the contents and date.
          The temperature of the freezer should be 0ºF or lower. When
freezing large amounts of food, scatter the packages throughout the
freezer so the food freezes quickly.

Care in Preparation and Preservation

     Prepare fish properly. Cook fish until it flakes with a fork.
          Don't cross-contaminate. Keep raw fish and cooked fish
separate.
          Thaw fillets in the refrigerator, in the microwave or under
cold running water. Food defrosted in the microwave should be cooked
immediately. Other thawed fish should be used within one to two days.
          Undercooking fish can be risky, while overcooking can result in
a unpalatable product.
          Fish is generally low in fat and very tender. Moist heat
cooking methods are unnecessary. Methods that develop flavor, such as
broiling, baking or frying, are preferred.

     Fish may be safely preserved by proper smoking procedures.
     After cleaning the fish, cut it into uniform pieces. Do not allow
fish to stand unrefrigerated for more than two hours.
     Salt is a preservative. Fish must be salted in the proper brine
solution for an appropriate length of time. Generally, soaking the fish
in a strong brine (1 cup salt/7 cups water) for 1 hours is adequate.
     After salting, the fish must be heated to an internal temperature of
160ºF and held at this temperature for at least 30 minutes during the
smoking cycle.
     Store smoked fishy in the refrigerator if it is to be used within
two weeks.
     For long-term storage, smoked fish should be frozen. It also may be
preserved by following current pressure canning recommendations.

   1.This document is NCR 526, published by NDSU in cooperation with NCR
Educational Materials Project, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND
58105. Publication date: April 1994.
   2.Julie Garden-Robinson, Food and Nutrition Program Assistant, NDSU
Extension Service; Martin Marchello, Professor, Department of Animal and
Range Sciences, NDSU; and Pat Beck, Nutrition Specialist, NDSU Extension
Service, North Dakota State University, Ag. Communications, Box 5655,
Morrill Hall Fargo, ND 58105-5655.