This month’s column focuses on good care and handling practices of Alaskan seafood. It’s written by Tyson Fick, Communications Director of Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute.

In our travels around the state, we’ve seen a wide range of practices, with many charters and lodges doing a good job in caring for the catch. A number are noteworthy, including some of the fleet in Kodiak who work with a commercial processor and crane a Jacuzzi-sized tub of ice onto the deck each morning to keep the fish cold, and when mixed with saltwater, create a slurry slightly colder than the ice that completely engulfs the fish. This fish was then vacuum-sealed using a commercial chamber sealer, and tasted fresh up to a year later.

Likewise, the unguided angler should pay special heed to this column, as proven by the multitude of anglers fishing many of the road-system rivers. We understand the desire to get the line back in the water, but take the time to properly care for your catch, both before and after, and you’ll appreciate how truly delicious wild Alaskan seafood can be.

Alaska has the finest seafood in the world. With so much invested to get fish from the water to your dinner table it seems that we ought to do whatever we can to ensure we maintain the highest-quality fish possible.

Chilling quickly and maintaining proper temperature are the keys to preserving quality. Keeping fish cold slows bacterial growth, slows enzyme action, keeps fish moist and reduces physical damage.

While icing is probably the single most important thing you can do to make sure the fish you take home is in as good shape as possible, there are a number of ways seafood quality can be easily compromised:

Bacterial Spoilage

Bacterial spoilage can be the most important factor in maintaining good quality.

While germs are present on the skin, gills, and gut of living fish, few are found in the flesh itself. After death, however, bacteria invade the flesh, which reduces quality. This is one area where the liberal application of ice as well as maintaining a clean cutting board and processing area can make a big difference.

Chemical Changes

Chemical changes that start shortly after the fish is caught result in undesirable color and chemical breakdown.

Physical Damage

Physical damage results from poor handling practices like dragging a flopping fish onto the rocks or tossing them into a fish hold. This kind of abuse can often result in bruising, gaping and mushy flesh. Although quite strong, fish muscle is fragile and the connective tissue is weak so bruising can easily occur when blood seeps into the flesh and clots. Tossing fish even one foot onto a hard surface breaks up the muscle and causes bruising.

Handling fish by the tail can also cause bruising as the blood vessels along the backbone break when the backbone is stressed. Fish should be handled by the head and should never be held aloft by the tail.

Bruising can also be caused by overloaded coolers of fish on a bed of jagged ice, and it can occur up to 96 hours after the catch, so post-harvesting handling must also be done carefully.

About an hour after death, fish go through a chemical change called rigor mortis. It is noticeable when the fish becomes stiff. Careful handling during rigor is essential and temperature must be kept low. Allowing the temperature to rise results in gaping as the muscle tissue separates.

Gaping is difficult to detect in uncut fish so you won’t likely know your fish is damaged until you thaw it out. Gaping is a major concern in the filleted fish trade (smoked fish, lox, value-added portions).

Dehydration

Pulling your fish out of the water and letting them bake in the sun and wind on the floor of the boat or the bank of the river is a sure way to greatly reduce the quality of your catch. This can be combated by keeping your fish in the water on a stringer, but for the best chances of maintaining quality, keep your fish on ice and out of the sun.

Contamination

Avoiding contamination is very important. Materials that adulterate the fish include:

1. Fuel
2. Chemicals
3. Bird/rodent droppings
4. Insects

Contamination frequently results not just in a lower-quality product but a total-loss, as adulterated product must be destroyed and represents a serious health risk. Try not to let your fish slop around with the bilge water.

Now that you have your fish home, the work is not done. If freezing and storing is in the plan, it is key to keep air from contacting the flesh while in the freezer. Vacuum sealing is the best way to make sure your fish maintains that fresh-caught flavor in the freezer. While the home vacuum sealer will do the job, custom processors have the Ferrari of vacuum packers, the chamber sealer. These professional-grade machines produce an exceptional seal and the bags tend to be more durable than the at-home variety.

The care taken when thawing your frozen Alaska seafood weeks or months later can also have a big effect on the final product coming off the grill. If thawing rather than using one of the many great recipes on www.cookitfrozen.com it is best to thaw slowly to avoid loss of flavor, aroma and texture.

Final Tips for Great Frozen Seafood

• Hold frozen seafood at -10°F to 0°F.
• Thaw frozen product (preferably on a bed of flaked ice) within the 32°F to 35°F range. Allow 24- to 36 hours.
• Or thaw product in a sealed plastic, water-tight bag in 45°F to 50°F water until thawed.
• Thaw fillets and steaks in original packaging or in tightly wrapped moisture-proof wrapping.
• Separate the thawing product from the melt-water by using drain pans and keep chilled at 32°F to 35°F. Never refreeze seafood.