Properly chilling fish will prevent spoilage bacteria from multiplying and help ensure that your catch stays in top quality condition throughout the fishing trip.

Whether you are involved in catching and storing fish as a charter boat operator or commercial harvester, you are the first and best defense against formation of histamine and other biogenic amines. You are a critical part of the "chain" that keeps seafood safe.

When you, the fisherman, sell your fish to a fish processor (any wholesaler), they must rely on you to assure that these fish are properly handled. The U.S. FDA regulation covering the control of seafood food safety hazards requires that processors have controls for fish species that have the potential to form histamine. Cooling controls should be monitored and documented on the fishing vessel to assure that specific temperature "targets" are met. Work with your buyer to determine the best way to meet and document these safety guidelines. FDA offers guidance that outlines options that you can use to meet the time and temperature targets for safety. If you do not meet these goals, you may not be able to sell what you have caught.

Choose Proper Tackle

When fishing by hook and line, use adequate tackle to reduce excessive struggling that may cause elevated body temperatures.

Land Fish Gently

• Handle fish gently to reduce bruising and internal bleeding.
  
  
• Avoid gaffing if possible. If you must gaff, place it in
  the head of the fish avoiding muscles and the gut.

Stun, Bleed and Eviscerate

• Stun the fish with a sharp blow to the head using a club or mallet. Stunning makes fish easier to handle and prevents bruising and internal bleeding.

• Bleed fish by cutting throat to sever the artery between the gills and heart. Place fish into an ice water slurry for 15 to 20 minutes, which will cool fish rapidly and improve the appearance of the muscle. Bleeding some species of fish may significantly increase shelf life.
  
  
• Gutting fish is optional, but preferred for some species. For example, gutting large fish, such as tuna, may be necessary to speed the cooling process.
  
  
• Gut fish after bleeding so that heart is not punctured or removed before pumping any remaining blood from fish.
  
  
• Remove gut intact so that digestive enzymes do not come in contact with edible flesh and rinse the gut cavity and fish exterior.

Pack and Chill

• Remove fish from ice water slurry and rinse off blood before packing with clean, crushed or flake ice.
  
  
• Place several inches of ice on bottom of container before adding fish and surround each fish to minimize fish-to-fish contact.
  
  
• Pack belly of eviscerated fish with clean ice.
  
  
• Containers should drain easily to keep fish out of melt water.

The amount of ice needed depends on number and species of fish, air and water temperatures, and length of time fish will be stored. Two pounds of ice per pound of fish is a good starting point. It is always better to have too much ice than not enough!

Fish should be placed in ice or refrigerated seawater as soon as possible.

HACCP guidelines recommend histamine-forming fish to be placed in cooling media within 6 to 12 hours after death, depending on species, and then rapidly chilled to an internal temperature of 40^oF or less. The amount of time for cooling depends on the chilling method, size of the fish, air and water temperature, and whether the fish was bled and or gutted.