It applies to all market forms except headed and gutted or headed and dressed catfish or catfish steaks. Deduction points also will be assigned when the product is intended to have the dorsal spine but it has been completely or partially removed. Aggregate area up to including one square inch. Also, each additional complete one square inch is again assessed points under this category. In market forms intended to contain bones, the presence of bones will not be considered a physical defect.
Skin refers to the presence of skin on skinless market forms.
For semi-skinned forms, a skin defect is the presence of the darkly pigmented outside layers. Bloodspots refer to the presence of coagulated blood. Bruises refer to softening and discoloration of the flesh. Both bloodspots and bruises apply to all market forms. Foreign material refers to extraneous material, including packaging material, not derived from the fish that is found on or in the sample.