Handling on deck
Stowage below
Thoroughly clean the deck, deckboards and baskets before your first haul comes aboard.
Gut the fish as soon as possible after catching.
Remove every piece of gut and liver.
Cut both napes on round fish, where permissible, to allow the belly cavity to be properly washed.
Do not make too long or ragged a belly cut-unnecessary wounds cause fish to go bad more quickly.
Try not to drop guts on top of other fish-this contaminates the fish and speeds their spoilage. Put the guts in a basket or throw them well clear.
Don't trample on the fish more than you must, and don't kick them about.
If you can, clear one haul away before the next one comes aboard. If you have to leave some fish on deck, try to move them so that fresh fish are not dropped on top. Then deal with the oldest fish first when gutting starts again.
If washing is done by hand, you should treat the fish in small lots so that every one is properly cleaned-put the hose into the belly of each large fish to remove any blood, etc.
If you are using a continuous washer, try to throw the fish straight into the water-bruising against the metalwork of the washer makes the fish spoil more quickly. Clear the last fish from the washer every time you finish gutting.
As soon as you have cleared away a haul, wash down the deck, boards and baskets in readiness for the next haul.
Get the fish below and into crushed ice as quickly as you can.
Thoroughly clean the fishroom before you begin to stow. After hosing down put a good layer of ice in the bottoms of the first pounds. This helps to cool the fishroom before fish come down.
If you have washed the fish by hand, lower them in baskets. If they are coming from a washer, then slide them all the way on chutes or boards- don't let them drop down-they bruise easily.
Never use old or dirty ice-start every trip with only fresh ice.
Use plenty of ice-a good layer below the fish, more ice among them and another layer on top, with extra ice against ship's sides and bulkheads, where most of the heat leaks in.
Don't stow fish higher than the battens for the shelf above-this crushes them unnecessarily.
Never leave out any shelves, even when fishing is heavy-you lose weight on landing if you bulk too deeply.
Use too much ice rather than too little-there should always be plenty of ice left among the fish when you land.
Put a thick layer of ice on the tops of pounds close to the deckhead. This protects the fish from warm air, or stops them drying out if cooling grids are running.
Stow skates and dogfish separately from other fish-they quickly form ammonia which will taint the rest of your catch if you don't.
Keep coalfish separate, as their dark slime will discolour other fish.
Always ice rough fish as well as you would prime fish-don't neglect them.
If single shelving your fish, ice on top of them as well as underneath will much improve their keeping quality.
Keep an accurate and detailed stowage plan-this helps to ensure that your best fish are laid out correctly on the market, and thus helps to get the best price.
If you are boxing at sea, put ice in the bottom of the box, then fish and ice together with a layer of ice on the top. Don't fill the box so full that you cannot shut the box without crushing the fish. Other boxes placed on top should not squash the contents of the box below.
Put off fishroom lights whenever possible.
Have one hatch only open at a time-close every time that you
come out of the fishroom.
