8 Preserving Fish

Fish that are not taken to the market fresh must be preserved in some way after harvesting. All fish have bacteria in their intestines; as soon as they die, these bacteria begin to multiply, and the process of decay begins So the first thing which must be done -- as soon as possible -- is to remove the intestines. After this is done, go on to preserve the fish in the way chosen.

There are a number of ways to preserve fish: salting and smoking are discussed here in some detail.

Salting Fish

Salting is a very old method of preserving fish. Salting depends on the size of the fish, the species, and on the amount and quality of the salt used. Fish which have been salted well last a long time without spoiling.

The most important factor in salting fish is the quality of the fish being salted. Use only fresh fish: fish which have been lying around for hours are not good for salting. Also, use only clean equipment and clean fish.

PLEASE READ THE DIRECTIONS THROUGH CAREFULLY BEFORE BEGINNING.

TOOLS AND MATERIALS

* Clean sharp knife

* Salt -- about 20kg for each 100kg of fish

* Containers for washing fish (buckets, tubs, drums)

* Flat working surface (table, flat stones)

* Containers for holding waste (parts of the fish not used)

* Waterproof boxes or jars to hold salted fish (glass or wood; not metal unless the metal is stainless steel)

* Boards and weights (to press down the fish)

* Slats or lines for drying the fish

* Small shelter to cover fish while drying

STEPS IN SALTING FISH

There are four major steps: gutting and cleaning; salting; washing and drying to remove excess salt; and, finally, air drying.

Gut and Clean the Fish.

* Gut the fish by cutting along the belly from the gills to the anal vent.

* Remove the guts and the black membrane in the gut cavity.

* Cut off the head now, if preferred; it is not necessary.

* Bleed the fish by removing the gills and all blood vessels after cutting open the throat.

* Cut the fish into the right shape for salting: small fish may be left whole; larger fish should be split in half from head to tail, so that all the fish flesh will be exposed to the salt.

Salt the Fish.

* Sprinkle a layer of salt on the bottom of the container which will hold the fish.

* Place a layer of fish, flesh side up, on the salt. Do not let the fish lay on top of each other.

* Cover the fish with a thin layer of salt.

* Continue to place fish, then salt, almost to the top of the container.

* Place the last fish layer with the skin side up. Sprinkle with salt; the last layer must be salt.

* Place boards and weights on top of the fish in the container to press them down.

* Leave the fish in the container for 15 days. Add salt as necessary, until the fish are "struck through" -- thoroughly full of salt. As the fish lie in the salt, the salt draws out all the moisture in their flesh. This moisture forms a solution (brine) with the salt as the salt dissolves. It is necessary to add more salt as the salt is diluted in the solution. As the moisture is removed from the fish by the salt, the level of fish in the container falls.

* Add more fish, skin side up, and also more layers of salt as the level of fish falls.

Wash and Dry the Fish.

* Remove the fish from the container when they are fully salted. The fish are properly salted when they are firm and have a whitish salt layer on their flesh.

* Wash the fish in clear, clean, sea water or brine.

* Place the fish on a flat surface and press them down with boards and weights to make them as flat as possible before drying.

Air Dry the Fish.

* Dry the fish in the sun and in the air, or use heating and fans. Usually fish are dried outside in an area that is exposed to sun and wind and is very clean.

* Dry the fish under a shelter of leaves or branches for the first few days, so that they do not dry too quickly.

* Put the fish into as much sunlight as possible, after the first few days.

* Lay the fish on triangular slats or hang the fish by their tails from fish lines strung up between trees.

* Cover the fish if it rains. Any moisture at all, at this stage in the salting process, will cause the fish to spoil.

* Dry the fish for about six days.

* Pack and store the fish in waterproof containers.

HOW TO USE SALTED FISH

Soak salted fish in fresh water overnight. Change the water at least once during this time. The soaking removes the salt; the longer the fish is soaked, the more salt is removed. After the fish has been soaked, it can be used in any way that fresh fish is used.

Smoking Fish

Smoked fish does not last as long as salted fish, because it must be refrigerated, frozen, or canned if it is to be stored. Smoked fish are prepared in a smoke house which is merely a shed or a box over a fire which is controlled so that it produces smoke instead of flames. The fish are merely hung inside the smokehouse so that they are surrounded by smoke. It takes about six hours to smoke fish so that they can be eaten or stored.

Smoked fish are prepared like fish for salting. After they are bled, and gutted, they are split from head to tail. They are then washed in freshwater and placed in a saltwater brine made by dissolving 1kg of salt in one litre of water for one hour. Then the fish are removed from the brine and washed in clean, fresh, water again. The fish are then drained and hung in a cool breezy place for about an hour.

At this point, the fire can be built in the smokehouse. When it is smoking properly, place the fish on hooks and hang (or tie) the fish in the top of the smokehouse. Make sure the fish are placed securely so they will not fall. Watch the fire carefully to make sure it is smoking, and not burning, the fish.

After the fish are smoked for six hours, they can be eaten immediately, or stored in jars (to be canned), or stored frozen or refrigerated until they are eaten.

Smoked fish do not last as long as salted fish, so do not smoke all of the fish, unless it will be used soon after harvesting.

Other Preserving Methods

Fish can also be preserved by simple air drying, or by canning. Air drying involves only cleaning and washing the fish and drying them in the sun and wind until they are a clear white colour. Canning is a much more complicated process. Canning must be done very carefully: fish can contain many bacteria which must be killed before canning. If fish are canned with this bacteria still in them, the fish will spoil. People who eat canned fish which is spoiled can become very sick. A farmer who wishes to can his fish should arrange with a canning factory to take part of his harvest and can it for him. A farmer should not try to can fish at home unless he has expert help.

Often fish are preserved by freezing. Freezing requires a constant supply of electricity -- which most farmers do not have. If electricity is available, however, freezing is one of the easiest and safest ways to preserve fish. In this method, the fish are gutted, cleaned, cut up (if desired), placed into containers, and put into freezers. Frozen fish can last for a very long time, if they are not thawed (unfrozen). Once frozen fish are thawed, they must be used immediately, or they will spoil.

Spoiled Fish

Even spoiled fish can be used -- although it cannot be eaten by human beings. Spoiled fish can be cut up and boiled, then dried in the sun or cooked in an oven until it is very flaky. Once this is done, grind the fish into a powder and mix it with powders of plants: this makes a very nutritious food for fish in ponds. The powder can be used as a powder, or it can be mixed with something to make it stick together so that the powder can be pressed into pellets for fish.

Spoiled fish, and even the guts of fish that have been used in some other way, are called "trash" fish. The powder is called "fish meal." Fish meal is used to feed fingerlings or even brood stock. Fish meal is one of the best fish foods for pond fish.