page_title: Fish processing
section_title: Handling the catch
hierarchical_section_title: Fish processing / Handling the catch
context_page_description: The term fish processing refers to the processes associated with fish and fish products between the time fish are caught or harvested, and the time the final product is delivered to the customer. Although the term refers specifically to fish, in practice it is extended to cover any aquatic organisms harvested for commercial purposes, whether caught in wild fisheries or harvested from aquaculture or fish farming.
  Larger fish processing companies often operate their own fishing fleets or farming operations. The products of the fish industry are usually sold to grocery chains or to intermediaries. Fish are highly perishable. A central concern of fish processing is to prevent fish from deteriorating, and this remains an underlying concern during other processing operations.
  Fish processing can be subdivided into fish handling, which is the preliminary processing of raw fish, and the manufacture of fish products.
context_section_description: When fish are captured or harvested for commercial purposes, they need some preprocessing so they can be delivered to the next part of the marketing chain in a fresh and undamaged condition. This means, for example, that fish caught by a fishing vessel need handling so they can be stored safely until the boat lands the fish on shore. Typical handling processes are
  transferring the catch from the fishing gear (such as a trawl, net or fishing line) to the fishing vessel
  holding the catch before further handling
  sorting and grading
  bleeding, gutting and washing
  chilling
  storing the chilled fish
  unloading, or landing the fish when the fishing vessel returns to port
  The number and order in which these operations are undertaken varies with the fish species and the type of fishing gear used to catch it, as well as how large the fishing vessel is and how long it is at sea, and the nature of the market it is supplying. Catch processing operations can be manual or automated. The equipment and procedures in modern industrial fisheries are designed to reduce the rough handling of fish, heavy manual lifting and unsuitable working positions which might result in injuries.
caption: Cleaning fish, 1887. By John George Brown.
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