Common Seafood Questions Answered

Here are the most common questions I get here about seafood so I thought I would address them here in one post. Fresh fish seems the major concern.


When does fish go bad? When fish goes bad is determined by the temperature it is stored at. At minus 10 degrees F or below it can last up to 12 months, at 30 degrees F about 7 days, at 40 degrees F (approx normal home refrigeration temp) about two to three days.


How fast does fish go bad? Typically it will last in home refrigeration two to three days after brought home from the market. Temperature is always the key to how fast fish goes bad, the colder you can keep fish the longer it stays consumable.


When is fish bad? Whole fish is bad when the eyes get cloudy and the gills get brownish in color, always look for clear eyes and ruby red gills when buying fish whole or having one filleted or steaked out. Cut fish is bad when the flesh does not spring back from touch, the flesh is opaque and/or has an ammonia type odor.

When is fresh or wild salmon season? People often ask for fresh salmon when they mean wild salmon that is why I included both terms. Typically wild salmon season runs from first of March to late November although some species are available late into winter. My advice is to always buy Alaskan salmon, if it is not available fresh, frozen Alaskan salmon is just as good, the process they use often makes the frozen salmon actually fresher than the "fresh" salmon you buy in market.


Is seafood better for you than red meat? Yes, it is recommended you have two to three servings of seafood a week compared to one of red meat, and yes pork is included in red meat despite their advertising it as a white meat. There is just so much good nutrition you can obtain from seafood that you just can't get from any other single food source, plus it is a high-grade protein.

How does fish go bad? Fish goes bad by not keeping it at the right temperature or for too long, or both. Keep fish refrigerated below 40 degrees F and it will keep up to three days if it was fresh when you bought it.

I know a lot of these questions seem repetitive, but I felt they approached the same concern from different angles and should be addressed that way. Most people are concerned about the freshness of fish because of safety and health concerns, but remember this; seafood is the single safest product in your grocery store, it's a proven fact. Buy smart so your fish is fresh when you get it, keep seafood refrigerated properly, consume within three days of purchase, and enjoy a delicious, healthy meal.

If you have any seafood questions that was not answered here please post it in comments and I will be glad to answer them for you.

Good News, Bad News as Wild Salmon Season is underway

It is the tale of two fisheries, one fraught with man made and natural calamities, the other, enjoying an abundance well above the norm.

First the bad news, the west coast salmon fishery, from northern California to British Columbia is shut down again for the second year in a row, last year, 2008, being the first time in 160 years for this to happen.

The damming of rivers to supply residential, commercial, and agricultural water demands, combined with severe draught, has made it near impossible for several populations of salmon to migrate to their spawning grounds and has brought many of them near extinction. Every river systems salmon population is distinct from all others, once the breeding population is gone, that river system will never produce salmon again as salmon always instinctively return to the system they were spawned in.

The U.S. government has taken action by restricting water consumption in the areas affected, and requiring steps to be taken to ease the migration path so that the salmon will be less hindered on their path to the spawning grounds. The California governor has balked at these proposals, but when faced with the demise of the major commercial and recreational industries that salmon and other species represent, I would think he should be strongly behind these measures.

Ok, now on with the good news.

The Copper River salmon run is the first of the season Alaskan salmon harvest. There are two species involved in this run the Chinook, or King salmon; and the Sockeye, or Red salmon. The run started about three weeks ago and the harvest from this area, particularly the Sockeye harvest, is considered a bell-weather of what the remainder of the salmon season will be like for the rest of the state.

After looking at the chart of total weekly catch which compares this season against last and the five year average, all I can say is "Wow", this is going to be a great season for fresh wild salmon from Alaska. The numbers are literally almost off the chart, beating last years catch at this time by over 150 thousand pounds if I am reading the chart correctly, you can see it HERE. The contrast with the California fishery could not be more stark.

So there you have it, the good and bad of the salmon season which will run until mid September. Expect plenty of fresh Alaskan salmon, probably at very good prices, due to Alaska's excellent fishery management. Meanwhile the west coast, particularly California, will suffer from loss of jobs and income from putting "growth" ahead of preserving their natural resources.

A Fish by Any Other Name...

Picked up on this article online from the Press and Journal out of Scotland.


A local market has decided to change the name of the fish called pollack to the name of Colin. They have done this to help customers who were too embarrassed to ask for the fish by name at the counter. Obviously pollack (known as pollock in the U.S.) has a similar spelling to a derogatory term used towards people from Poland. A pound of Colin anyone?

Pollock is a firm white fish that is an inexpensive alternative to cod. Most U.S. pollock comes from the sustainable fishery of Alaska, it is very abundant and used in many commercial seafood products from surimi (imitation crab), to fish sticks, and most fast food fish sandwiches.

The next time you have a recipe calling for cod, try the more cost and eco friendly alternative of pollock, just don't ask for Colin, he might not be working that day.

Alaskan Halibut

Fresh Alaskan Halibut is now available in the market.

Alaskan Halibut is a savory, mild flavored fish with snow-white meat and a nice firm flesh. Halibut is great on the grill, baked, or pan seared. Fresh Halibut can also be substituted for Sea Scallops, especially the Halibut Cheeks which are the sweetest part of the fish.

Alaskan Halibut is rated a "Best Choice" by Seafood Watch so it is an excellent selection not only for the table but also the ecosystem. Check your local market, Fresh Halibut should appear translucent and slightly glossy, while previously frozen Halibut will be duller in appearance.

Hope you get a chance to enjoy this great product of the Alaskan fishery.