5 Onboard

Systems
Quality

Stephen T. Grabacki

CONTENTS
5.1 Introduction .................................................................................................... 57
5.2 Quality Concepts ............................................................................................ 58
5.3 Technical Background .................................................................................... 58
5.4 Onboard Quality Problems and Their Causes ................................................60
5.5 The Importance of Temperature Control........................................................ 61
5.6 Pre-Harvest Onboard Quality Practices ......................................................... 63
5.7 Fishing Methods and Onboard Handling .......................................................64
5.8 De Gustibus Non Disputandum ...................................................................... 65
5.9 Continual Improvements in Onboard Quality ................................................ 67
References ................................................................................................................ 70

5.1 INTRODUCTION
There are two basic types of customers who buy seafood:

• Trade customers, who intend to re-sell the seafood; these include second-
ary (“value added”) processors, wholesale distributors, retailers (super-
markets and food shops), and foodservice establishments (restaurants and
institutions)
• Ultimate consumers, who actually consume the seafood; they buy the sea-
food in retail outlets or they eat it in foodservice venues

Of the two, the trade customers are more willing and able to articulate their pref-
erences. The ultimate consumers (“end users”) simply “vote with their wallets,” by
choosing one product over another.
A word about competition—Seafood from a given source (e.g., Alaska) competes
with seafood from other sources, and those sources (e.g., Chile, Norway) have set
high standards for product quality and the ability to meet customer expectations.
But, it should be noted that all seafood competes with other protein sources: beef,
pork, chicken, turkey, and many others. In most markets, these non-seafood meats
out-compete all seafood on the basis of familiarity, price, predictability of supply,
and reliability of quality.

57
58 Environmental Effects on Seafood Availability, Safety, and Quality

5.2 QUALITY CONCEPTS

Seafood must meet several basic customer and consumer expectations, including
(but not limited to):

• Purity—Consumers prefer seafood from pristine natural environments,

free of pollutants.
• Safety—Consumers must be protected from harmful foods, especially
contamination by physical, chemical, or biological hazards. The safety of
seafood is ensured by adherence to the principles of hazard analysis and
critical control point (HACCP) and good sanitation practices. Note that
“safety” is quite different from “quality.”
• Quality—There are two ways to think about seafood quality. One concerns
the positive intrinsic characteristics of the seafood: taste, texture, color, and
appearance. These attributes are determined by the natural biology of the
species. The other view concerns the negative extrinsic characteristics of
the product, which are determined by the industry’s practices: bruising,
blood-spotting, gaping, softness, short shelf life, and general degradation.

Obviously, consumers expect all the positive intrinsic features, and they dislike
the negative extrinsic characteristics. In other words, we cannot improve the quality
of our products, we can only retard the loss of quality until the seafood reaches the
consumers. This perspective is important to everyone in the seafood supply chain,
“from boat to throat,” and especially for fishermen who process and sell their own
catch (Grabacki 2007).
From the moment of capture, seafood deserves the same respect and care as other
foods that are served to one’s family. In today’s competitive marketplace, the four-
part maxim is more important than ever:

1. Keep it cold.
2. Keep it clean.
3. Keep it moving.
4. Handle it gently.

5.3 TECHNICAL BACKGROUND

Seafood is delicate and easily degraded. Fish have a soft muscle structure that is
easily damaged. Fish flesh contains catabolic enzymes that start breaking down the
meat as soon as the fish dies, and are an ideal medium for bacterial growth. Any
sort of poor or rough handling, warm temperature, or slow delivery (off-loading)
decreases the value of the seafood by diminishing its appearance, taste, odor, tex-
ture, and shelf life.
A useful definition of shelf life is a measure of how long a fish can remain of
good quality from the time it is captured to the time it is eaten. The longer the shelf
life (as perceived by the customer), the higher the value. Any delays or deterioration
at the production end (catching, holding, delivering, processing, storing, shipping,
Onboard Quality Systems 59

or receiving) decrease the shelf life and value of the product. Shelf life has a strong
inverse relation to product temperature. In concept, the shelf life of chilled (non-
frozen) high-fat fish (salmon, herring, sablefish) can be as long as 12 days, starting
from the moment the fish dies; the shelf life for chilled low-fat fish can be as long as
14 days. However, these are theoretical maxima that assume immediate, unchanging
chilling (32°F, 0°C), and absolutely perfect handling. In practice, the actual shelf life
is less, which is why everyone in the supply chain (starting with the harvester!) must
do everything possible to avoid shortening this time period.
Quality begins to deteriorate even before a fish is landed. A fish in a net might be
squeezed and abraded by the mesh, and a fish on a hook can struggle and become
damaged. Further damage can occur as the fish is brought aboard the boat, removed
from the gear, and stored in the hold. Common mistakes include lifting or pulling
the fish by the tail, and dropping or squeezing the fish, which result in the forma-
tion of bruises and blood spots in the meat. Studies by the University of Alaska’s
Marine Advisory Program (MAP) have shown that these bruises can occur in dead
fish as well as live ones (Doyle 1995). Rough handling very often results in internal
defects that are not visible until the seafood reaches the customer—these unpleasant
“surprises” discourage customers from repeating their purchases.
Bacteria are present everywhere, including on and in the fish. As soon as the fish
dies, the bacteria go to work, digesting the flesh and producing chemicals that destroy
the texture and create unpleasant odors. The higher the temperature, the faster the
bacteria multiply, and the faster the fish spoils.
Fish have enzymes in their viscera and muscles. When a fish dies, the catabolic
enzymes are free to degrade the flesh, from the inside out. Like bacterial action,
enzyme activity increases in direct proportion to temperature.
Why do fish stink? If not chilled and handled properly, chemical changes take
place. Through the action of both bacteria and enzymes, trimethylamine oxide (a
substance found in all muscle tissue) is degraded to trimethylamine and dimeth-
ylamine. This is a particular problem for fishes that live near the surface of cold
oceanic habitats—such as Alaska salmon. It is important to note that the ideal tem-
perature for non-frozen fish is 32°F (0°C), continuously from the moment of capture.
Any temperature higher than this will accelerate the deterioration of the products.
When a dead fish is exposed to air, it undergoes dehydration and oxidation.
Dehydration—the loss of moisture—results in toughening and discoloration of the
meat. Oxidation is caused by the chemical reaction of fish oils with oxygen. Both
dehydration and oxidation are easily prevented through good temperature control,
proper stowage, and rapid delivery to the processing plant.
Unlike many other fishes, Alaska salmon are generally harvested during their
spawning “run” (migration), as they return from feeding grounds in the ocean to
spawning grounds in streams. Salmon grow rapidly in the ocean, in some cases
as much as one pound per week during the summer. As they grow in size, the oil
content in their flesh increases. As they approach their natal streams, salmon stop
feeding and their intrinsic quality begins to deteriorate. Stored oil and protein are
used as energy sources and for maturation of the gonads. The carotenoid (red) pig-
ments are transferred from the meat to the skin and eggs. As maturity progresses,
the bright silvery skin turns dark red or brown. This is one of the ways in which
60 Environmental Effects on Seafood Availability, Safety, and Quality

fisheries management (selection of fishing times and areas) affects salmon quality
(see Chapter 4 for more information).
Rigor mortis is the stiffening of the fish’s muscles after death. Immediately after
death (the “pre-rigor” period), the fish is flexible; but pre-rigor does not last very
long. Soon, rigor mortis sets in and the fish becomes stiff and inflexible. This is
caused by chemical changes, which produce lactic acid that retards bacterial growth.
In the “post-rigor” phase, the fish becomes flaccid and the acidity dissipates; this
allows the growth of bacteria and the onset of spoilage (Doyle 1995). The longer that
a fish stays in pre-rigor and rigor (i.e., the longer that post-rigor is delayed), the slower
the ensuing degradation and the better the quality. Fish that struggle in the net will
pass quickly through rigor, as will fish that are warm—both factors tend to decrease
the quality of the seafood. In short, extending rigor prolongs quality (Doyle 1995).

5.4 ONBOARD QUALITY PROBLEMS AND THEIR CAUSES

Once a fish loses freshness and general quality, no amount of processing or technology
can reverse the process. Fishermen get first crack at the product because they are first
in a long chain of handlers extending from the ocean to the consumer. Each time a fish
is handled, irreversible damage takes place. The degree of damage depends on how
gently or how roughly a fish is handled. There is no magic in the fish business; careful
handling and attention to every detail of quality are the only ways to prevent quality
problems (Doyle 1995).

For salmon and many other fishes, the primary cause of quality loss is physical
damage. Usually, these defects are caused by poor onboard practices (condensed
from Doyle 1995):

• Gaping: The separation of myomeres (muscle layers) caused by weakening

of the connective tissue between those layers. This causes slits or holes
to appear in the meat, which detracts from the appearance of the prod-
uct. There are four causes of gaping, three of which are directly related to
onboard practices:
• Allowing the fish to undergo rigor at high temperature. At high tem-
perature, the muscles constrict so violently that they separate from the
connective tissue.
• Physically bending the fish while it is in rigor. This tears the connective
tissue away from the muscle tissue.
• Lifting or pulling the fish by the tail. This form of gaping is more preva-
lent in larger fish, and is generally more apparent in the tail section.
• The nutritional content of the fish. A well-fed fish has greater stores of
glycogen, which (upon death) produces more lactic acid and stronger
muscle contractions.
• Bruising: can occur when the fish is alive, after death, and even after thawing.
In general, bruising is caused by poor handling, often on board the fishing
boat. Poor practices include, but are not limited to, damage by the fishing gear
(e.g., gillnet); dropping, throwing, striking, or stepping on the fish; and rough
Onboard Quality Systems 61

treatment during landing the fish on board the boat, or off-loading fish to a
tender vessel or at the dock. The tendency for a fish to bruise is amplified by
high temperature.
• Mushy (soft) flesh: A common problem caused by poor handling and/or
high temperature. This includes long delivery or pre-process holding times.

All these quality defects are not only serious, they are insidious in their impacts—
they are caused by poor onboard handling practices, but they are not apparent to the
fishermen (the people who cause many of the problems). The defects only become
apparent when the fish are split, filleted, or steaked, which happens long after they
have moved into the seafood supply chain. These hidden, but serious, defects not
only degrade quality, they also diminish the marketability of the seafood, by disap-
pointing the customers and consumers. Even worse, they can significantly decrease
the “yield” of seafood production, because some of the product must be trimmed
away or discarded completely.
Other factors that degrade quality include:

• Enzymatic breakdown of protein; caused or accelerated by warm tempera-

ture, long pre-process holding times, and crushing by large loads of fish
• Bacterial breakdown of protein (spoilage); caused or accelerated by warm
temperature, long pre-process holding times, and contamination from fish
contact surfaces or by scraping or punctures
• Dirt: physical inclusion of particulate matter (in addition to bacterial con-
tamination); caused by contact with mud or sand, fouled fishing gear, or
dirty onboard fish contact surfaces (e.g., fish holds)
• Rancidity (oxidation of lipids); caused or accelerated by warm temperature,
long pre-process holding times, and exposure to ultraviolet light (as in sunlight)
• Sunburn: physical degradation of the skin and underlying tissues (in addi-
tion to rancidity); caused by exposure to sunlight (even on a cloudy day)

All the factors outlined in this section are within the control of, and are the
responsibility of, the harvester.

5.5 THE IMPORTANCE OF TEMPERATURE CONTROL

The first rule of seafood quality is: Keep It Cold. The importance of proper chilling
cannot be over-emphasized. The rate of loss of shelf life is a direct function of prod-
uct temperature, from the moment that the fish encounters the fishing gear. Whether
the gear is troll, trawl, gillnet, purse-seine, longline, or some other method, a strug-
gling fish undergoes chemical changes that lead to shorter shelf life. This tendency is
amplified by warm temperatures, both in the water and after harvest.

Many fishermen believe that holding salmon from 12 to 24 hours at ambient tempera-
ture does little damage. This is sheer nonsense. As pointed out above, the first few
hours after death are critical in determining the duration of the pre-rigor and rigor
periods. Extending rigor as long as possible is a primary objective of chilling fish.
(Doyle 1995; emphasis in original)
62 Environmental Effects on Seafood Availability, Safety, and Quality

The ideal temperature for holding freshly caught fishes, especially those most sus-
ceptible to spoilage (species that inhabit cold water, are surface-dwelling, and/or are
ocean-dwelling), is 31°F–32°F (–0.56°C to 0.0°C). Warmer temperatures accelerate
loss of quality, and colder temperatures damage the product through the formation of
ice crystals and concentration/activation of enzymes. Experiments conducted by the
MAP of the University of Alaska (Doyle 1995) indicate that the shelf life of salmon is
approximately halved by raising the holding temperature from 0°C to 4°C (Table 5.1).
In the Alaska fisheries for salmon, halibut, and groundfish (Alaska pollock, Pacific
cod, sablefish, flatfish, etc.), there are four general methods of onboard chilling:

• Ice: ice in direct contact with fish; flake ice is better than large chunks;
works best if fish and ice are layered (rather than merely “top-iced”); ice is
stuffed into the belly cavity of large fish (e.g., halibut).
Advantages: keeps fish fresher longer; can produce a better-appearing prod-
uct; as ice melts, water rinses bacteria off the fish; cost is not very high.
Disadvantages: usually requires a watertight fish hold or tote; requires
more labor than chilled seawater (CSW) or refrigerated seawater (RSW);
deep holds require shelving; supply of ice is not always available.
• Chilled seawater (also called “champagne ice”): fish hold contains ice and
seawater; air is bubbled up through the mixture.

TABLE 5.1
Relative Rates of Spoilage and Loss of Equivalent Days on Ice
for Different Temperatures and Times

Temperature Relative Rate Equivalent Days on Ice with Time

°C °F of Spoilage (r) 12 h 24 h
−2.00 28.40 0.64 0.32 0.64
0.00 32.00 1.00 0.50 1.00
2.00 35.60 1.44 0.72 1.44
4.00 39.20 1.96 0.98 1.96
6.00 42.80 2.56 1.28 2.56
8.00 46.40 3.24 1.62 3.24
10.00 50.00 4.00 2.00 4.00
12.00 53.60 4.84 2.42 4.84
15.00 59.00 6.25 3.12 6.25

Source: Doyle, J.P. 1995. Care and Handling of Salmon: The Key to Quality. Marine
Advisory Program, School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of
Alaska Fairbanks.
Note: Equivalent days on ice computations were carried out to three places for math-
ematical accuracy only. Owing to biological variability within a species, num-
bers are meaningful only to one place past the decimal point. For example, if a
fish is held at 50ºF (10ºC) for 24 h, r = 4 means that 4 days of shelf life are used
in 24 h, and 2 days are used in 12 h.
Onboard Quality Systems 63

Advantages: requires less labor than layer-icing; cheaper than RSW; absorbs
heat well.
Disadvantages: more expensive to install than plain icing; requires more
ice than layer-icing because both water and fish must be chilled.
• Refrigerated seawater: Fish hold is full of seawater, which is chilled and
circulated by a refrigeration compressor and pump.
Advantages: low labor requirements; requires no ice; cools fish rapidly.
Disadvantages: more expensive to install; more difficult to maintain;
greater temperature fluctuation as more fish are added; difficult to install
on small boats.
• Slush ice: slurry mixture of water and finely divided ice particles; relatively
new technology.
Advantages: rapid chilling; not expensive; not labor intensive; works well
on small boats.
Disadvantages: supply of slurry ice not always available in all areas.

The interested reader is referred to Doyle (1995) for a detailed discussion of layer-
ice, CSW, and RSW, as well as greater background on seafood quality.

5.6 PRE-HARVEST ONBOARD QUALITY PRACTICES

Before any fish are brought on board the boat, the boat must be made ready to receive
them properly. From the point of view of seafood quality, this includes (but is not
limited to):

• Fish holds must be watertight and impervious to entry by fuel, lubricants,

or bilgewater.
• Fish holds must be properly insulated, especially near the engine room.
• Fish holds and all fish contact surfaces (chutes, conveyors, etc.) must be con-
structed of food-grade, non-porous material, such as fiberglass, aluminum,
stainless steel, wood coated with food-grade paint, or high-density plastic.
• Fish holds and all fish contact surfaces are never to be constructed of bare
wood, unsealed polyurethane insulation, or any other material that is dif-
ficult to clean and sanitize.
• Hatch combings and covers must be adequate to prevent the entry of water,
contaminants, heat, or sunlight.
• Fishing gear and deck equipment must be arranged so that the fish are
moved from the fishing gear to the chilled fish hold gently and promptly.

In general, fish spoil faster than other protein foods. Therefore, good onboard
housekeeping practices are essential. On a busy fishing boat, fish slime, scales,
gurry, juices, and parts (e.g., fin fragments) find their way everywhere. This means
that all fish contact surfaces must be cleaned and sanitized well and often. Cleaning
and sanitizing are two separate actions.
Cleaning removes dirt and fish materials. In particular, it is necessary to remove
the sticky fish proteins. Begin with a thorough flushing of all areas. Proper use of
64 Environmental Effects on Seafood Availability, Safety, and Quality

a strong dishwashing detergent, accompanied by vigorous scrubbing is required to

loosen the grip of those proteins (pressure-washing is good, too). If those proteins
remain on the fish contact surfaces, they provide ready food for bacteria. All fish
contact surfaces must be cleaned. This includes holds, decks, tables, chutes, shelves,
and rails, as well as gloves, raingear, knives, and gaffs. After soaping and scrubbing,
all surfaces must be well rinsed with potable fresh water or clean seawater.
The other important action is sanitizing those same fish contact surfaces—this
kills bacteria. The simplest and most effective sanitizer is basic (unscented) chlorine
laundry bleach. Mix a half-cup of liquid bleach with five gallons of water: this pro-
vides the most active concentration of chlorine ions. (Other agents, such as iodine,
are also acceptable.) Apply liberally, and allow the sanitizer to remain in contact
with the surfaces for 5–10 min, or (if chlorine is used) simply allow it to remain
without a final rinse.
Three important cautions:

• Never allow animals of any kind (pets, seagulls, etc.) on board a fishing
boat.
• Never use phenol-based cleaning or sanitizing agents. They will contami-
nate the product.
• Never mix chlorine-based agents with ammonia-based agents. This will
produce toxic chlorine gas.

CSW and RSW systems must also be sanitized. In general, the same methods and
materials may be used. Manufacturers of RSW systems can provide guidance.

5.7 FISHING METHODS AND ONBOARD HANDLING

There are many fisheries in Alaska, each with its own species, fishing gear, fishing sea-
sons, areas and times, and methods of operation. This section presents a brief overview
of practices to follow, and mistakes to avoid, as used in the Alaska region. Information
and guidance for specific fisheries may be obtained from the Alaska Seafood Marketing
Institute (ASMI, www.alaskaseafood.org) and the University of Alaska MAP.
Earlier in this chapter, it was pointed out that struggling fish undergo chemical
changes that lead to shorter shelf life. Therefore, to the extent practicable in each
fishery, the harvester should minimize the time between the fish encountering the
gear, and the time that the fish is brought on board the boat; for example:

• Troll: Retrieve and stun the fish as soon as they are hooked.
• Trawl: Shorter tows are better, to avoid both struggling and crushing.
• Longline: Shorter sets are better; stun the fish as they are brought on board.
• Gillnet: Pick the fish from the net as often as possible, ideally once per hour
• Purse-seine: Generally not an issue. Fish are usually brought on board
promptly.

In troll, longline, and gillnet fisheries, it is recommended that the fish are stunned
with a blow to the head, and bled while they are still alive. Stunning prevents
Onboard Quality Systems 65

damage to the flesh, and proper bleeding chills the fish and flushes out many cata-
bolic enzymes. In high-volume fisheries such as trawl and seine, however, this is
not practicable. Bleeding is best accomplished by cutting or ripping several gills;
cutting the “throat” is effective, but can damage and stop the heart, which defeats
the purpose.
Ideally, allowing the fish to “bleed out” in seawater, rather than in air on deck,
is most effective. Some salmon trollers in southeast Alaska use a technique called
“pressure bleeding,” in which cold, clean fresh water is pumped through the fish’s
circulatory system—this is time consuming, but results in a product of superior
quality.
In the troll (salmon) and longline (halibut, sablefish, Pacific cod) fisheries, large
fish are often gaffed to assist in bringing them on board. Proper gaffing technique—
in the head only—is essential to avoid damaging or contaminating the flesh (Kramer
& Paust 1985).
Fish must be removed from the fishing gear quickly and as gently as possible.
Trawl- and seine-caught fish are simply emptied from the net into the hold. Hooked
fish (troll and longline) are usually unhooked rather easily, especially if “circle-type”
hooks are used. Gillnet-caught fish can sometimes be problematic and certain pre-
cautions must be observed, such as

• Pick the fish from the net by handling the head; do not pull the tail.
• Do not wind the fish onto the net reel or pile them into a net pile.
• Gently place the fish into chutes and holds; do not throw, drop, or kick
them.

In all cases, in all fisheries, it is necessary to handle the fish as gently as possible.

5.8 DE GUSTIBUS NON DISPUTANDUM

The concept of quality can be viewed as a product, a process, a system, and an atti-
tude. To ensure that the intrinsic quality of the product is perceived and valued by the
end-user (i.e., the consumer), everyone in the seafood supply chain, especially the
harvester, must have a proper attitude about quality. In general, in any manufacturing
process, a good quality system has three vital characteristics:

• Meeting customer specifications. De gustibus non disputandum in this

case (roughly) means: “What is good (as experienced by the diner) is not
doubted”; customers and consumers will spend most money on products
that best meet their desires.
• Low variability = high reliability. Successful “quick-service” restaurant
companies (e.g., McDonald’s) provide the same high level of quality in all
their stores; consumers have learned to trust and value the quality of the
products.
• Constantly working to understand and eliminate causes of variability. Any
variation in product quality risks consumer disappointment; therefore, all
causes of variable quality must be continually reduced.
66 Environmental Effects on Seafood Availability, Safety, and Quality

One practical application of these principles is the conduct of the fishery. For
example, from the point of view of seafood quality, an ideal Alaska salmon fishery
would have certain attributes:

• Harvest method does not damage the fish: the fish have no net marks or
bruises caused by the method of fishing.
• Post-harvest handling is minimal and gentle; perfect handling means each
fish is handled only once, by hand, and that the fish are not flexed during
pre-, in- and post-rigor, only well after rigor.
• Chilling begins immediately after harvest, and fish never get warm, because
poorly chilled fish are either rejected or command a lower price from the plant.
• All fish are bled while alive, and any fish landed dead or not bled are kept
separate from the higher-quality bled fish.
• Delivery is quick, within six hours of capture; ideally, fishing periods are
short and fishing areas are near the processor (of course, this is often not
the case in the real world).
• No tendering (trans-shipment and consolidation of fish from many harvest-
ers), dock deliveries only, in order to minimize handling; at minimum, ten-
ders segregate well-handled fish from poorly handled fish (again, not always
practical in the real world).

A second practical application is in the responsibilities of each “link” in the seafood

supply chain. Quality begins deteriorating as soon as the fish dies, and each person who
touches the fish must do their best to minimize the loss of quality. For example, in the
onboard portion of the supply chain of Alaska salmon, the harvester, the tender, and the
dock receiver each have important duties. The lists in Table 5.2 describe the quality-
related responsibilities on board the fishing vessel. The receiving dock has a great degree
of responsibility because it is the final checkpoint of onboard quality practices. Ideally,
any fish that has not been well cared for on board the fishing vessel must get rejected at
the receiving dock. Of course, all other members of the supply chain (heading, gutting,
filleting, freezing, glazing, case-up, and shipment) have their own sets of duties, as well.
A third practical application is in the onboard quality grading systems for freshly
harvested fish. The seafood industry uses many systems of grades to indicate the
quality of the product. These grades are based on extrinsic (production-related) fac-
tors, and indicate freshness and handling. For example, Alaska salmon can be sorted
into four grades (Table 5.3) that reflect important characteristics of quality, which can
easily be applied on board the boat, to ensure high-quality handling practices:

• Handling—bled vs. unbled; proper chilling; amount of defects, including

skin cuts, internal cuts, punctures, bruising, and scale loss
• Odor—ranging from “fresh” to “slight, not offensive”
• Eyes—ranging from “bright, clear” to “milky or cloudy”
• Gills—ranging from “bright red” to “pink” to “dull”
• Skin—clarity of slime; net marks; scars; damage to fins and tail
• Belly cavity (if opened on board)—internal color; degree of belly burn;
thoroughness of cleaning
Onboard Quality Systems 67

TABLE 5.2
Quality-Related Responsibilities of Each Link in the Onboard Supply Chain
of Alaska Salmon
Harvester
• Proper sanitation
• Proper chilling (ice, slush,
RSW)
• Cold fish temperatures
• Proper bleeding
• Density of fish in hold
• Fish age, post-capture
• Gentle handling
• Careful removal of fish from
gear
• Bruising
• Softness
• Overall fish condition
• Prompt delivery
Receiving Dock At Processing
Tender (Delivery) Vessel
• Proper sanitation
• Check tender RSW
temperature
• Check product chilling
• Check product separation
• Check brailer weights
• Use double lifting straps
• Check fish temperatures
• Check fish condition
• Communication with
fishermen
• Check bleeding
• Layer icing (if applicable)
• Ice condition (no lumps)
• Density of fish in RSW
tank
• Make accept/reject
decision
• Frequent deliveries to plant
• Communication with dock
• Overall handling
• Overall organization
• Keep accurate receiving
logs
• Notify plant of problems
Plant
• Proper sanitation
• Check product chilling
• Check vessel hold density
• Check tender chilling
• Check tender receiving log
• Check tender RSW density
• Brailer weights
• Use double lifting straps
• Use non-marking brailers
(fish delivery bags)
• Maintain RSW temperature
• Maintain RSW density
• Check fish temperatures
• Check bleeding
• Check fish condition
• Make accept/reject decision
• Keep accurate dock
receiving logs
• Layer icing in totes (if
applicable)
• Ice condition (no lumps)
• Condition of fish totes (large
boxes)
• Density of fish in totes
• Overall handling
• Overall organization
• Communication with
fishermen and tender
operators
• Notify QA manager of
problems

These three practical applications of onboard quality systems can be readily

adapted to virtually any other fishery, where fish are delivered to an onshore pro-
cessing plant.

5.9 CONTINUAL IMPROVEMENTS IN ONBOARD QUALITY

It is generally recognized that the production of seafood products is a manufacturing
process. What is often overlooked is the fact that the manufacturing process does not
begin in the processing plant (factory)—it actually begins on the fishing vessel, at the
68 Environmental Effects on Seafood Availability, Safety, and Quality

TABLE 5.3
An Example of a Grading System for Onboard Salmon Quality
Product Grades
Characteristics as
Observed On Board Standard Select Choice Premium

Handling
Properly bled? Not necessary Not necessary Optional Yes
Properly chilled? Yes Yes Yes Yes
Head cuts Ragged Sightly ragged None None
Flesh texture/softness Moderately soft Slightly soft Firm, resilient Firm, resilient
Skin cuts ≤3 in. 1 cut, ≤2 in. 1 cut, ≤1 in. None
Deep cuts ≤3 in. 2 cuts, ≤2 in. 1 cut, ≤1 in. None
Punctures Minor None None None
External bruising ≤3 in. ≤1 in. ≤½ in. None
Scale loss >40% ≤40% ≤25% ≤15%
Red bellies (stale >6 in. ≤6 in. ≤2 in. None
fish)
Odor Slight Neutral Fresh Fresh
Eyes Milky Slightly dull Bright, clear Bright, clear
Gills Dull Pink Red Bright red

Skin
Color/watermark Dull Dull, slight Only slight None, bright only
pink dulling
Slime Dull Cloudy Clear Clear
Net marks Moderate Slight No indentations No indentations
Scars and sores >2 in. ≤2 in., healed ≤1 in., healed None
Tail and fins Fin loss okay Moderate Minor fraying No damage
fraying
Physical shape Moderate Slight No deformities No deformities
deformity deformity

If processed at sea
Internal
Color Fading Slight fading Bright, natural Bright, natural
Belly burn Red, not purple Pink None None
Bone exposure ≤8 ≤4 ≤2 None
Cleaning Traces of blood Trace of blood Complete Complete
Gaping >10% ≤10% Slight ≤1 sq. in.
Bruises and ≤3 in. ≤2 in. ≤½ in. None
bloodspots
Flesh texture/softness Moderately soft Slightly soft Firm, resilient Firm, resilient

Source: Excerpted and adapted from: Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute.

Onboard Quality Systems 69

moment of harvest. This means that quality-based good manufacturing principles

and practices can be applied to the raw material on board the boat, well before the
fish arrive at the plant.
The plan–do–check–act cycle (PDCA, also called the Deming cycle) of continual
quality improvement (Figure 5.1) is frequently used in many manufacturing situa-
tions. It is an iterative four-step cycle (Tague 2005):

• Plan: Recognize an opportunity for quality improvement, and decide what

to do.
• Do: Implement the change on a small scale, to test the idea.
• Check: Evaluate the results of the test and draw conclusions.
• Act: If the small-scale test was successful, implement the change on a wider
scale; if it was not successful, modify the change and re-test.

If the quality of seafood is graded according to a system like the one in Table 5.3,
one can generally expect a “bell-shaped” distribution of quality grades (Figure 5.2),
in which:

• Only a few fish achieve premium grade because it is difficult to attain.

• Most fish fall into the choice and select grades.
• Only a few fish are of standard grade, the lowest acceptable grade.
• A very small number of fish fail even the lowest criteria and are rejected.

Frequent application of the PDCA cycle to onboard practices (fishing gear, fish-
ing operations, fish handling, and fish stowage) can improve product quality and

Plan

Act Do

Check

FIGURE 5.1 The “Plan–Do–Check–Act” Cycle of Continual Quality Improvement.

70 Environmental Effects on Seafood Availability, Safety, and Quality

Relative proportion

Fail Standard Select Choice Premium

(reject)

Lower Quality grade Higher

FIGURE 5.2 Schematic illustration of the relative proportion of product in each quality
grade.

reduce variability of quality. In particular, fewer fish would fail the grading, fewer
fish would achieve only the minimum standard grade, and more fish would be graded
as choice and premium—thus improving both product yield and market price.

REFERENCES
Doyle, J.P. 1995. Care and Handling of Salmon: The Key to Quality. Marine Advisory Program,
School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks.
Grabacki, S.T. 2007. Considering quality. In: Fishermen’s Direct Marketing Manual, ed.
T. Johnson. Marine Advisory Program, School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences,
University of Alaska Fairbanks.
Kramer, D.E. and Paust, B.C. 1985. Care of Halibut aboard the Fishing Vessel. Marine
Advisory Program, School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska
Fairbanks, Marine Advisory Bulletin #18.
Tague, N.R. 2005. The Quality Toolbox, Second edition. Milwaukee, WI: American Society
for Quality Press.