Once chilled, the fish should be maintained as close to 32 F as possible. The slightly warmer temperature encourages ice melting, which moisturizes the fish and washes bacteria off the fish. However, the ice water must drain away from the fish. Leaving fish in a puddle of bloody water is a sure way to lose quality quickly by increasing bacterial contamination and accelerating decomposition Throughout the handling process, the fish must not be bruised or battered. Tearing of the skin or removal of scales must be avoided, particularly if fish are sold in the round.
Appearance affects price and marketability as much as overall quality and shelf-life.
After processing, fish should be packed on ice and put into boxes for storage and shipping. As a rule of thumb, in summer the weight of ice in the box should equal the weight of fish. Boxes should not be filled beyond the natural stacking point. Filleting Fish are filleted on a clean table, typically a plastic cutting board. Use of wood in food plants is being discouraged because it is difficult to sanitize and wood splinters can contaminate the product.