Handling of Fish After Unloading

Icelandic International Development Agency (ICEIDA)

Iceland

United Nations University Fisheries Training Programme (UNU-FTP)

Iceland

National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA)

Sri Lanka

Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DFAR)

Sri Lanka

Quality and safety issues in fish handling-----

A course in quality and safety management in fishery harbours in Sri Lanka

NARA, DFAR, ICEIDA and UNU-FTP

Content• This lecture contains:

• information regarding current handling practices for fish at and around fishing harbours in Sri Lanka

• methods to improve the quality of the fish handled are introduced

• possible role of the harbours

Learning objectives

• After this lecture the participants will have:• an overview of the situation in Sri Lanka harbours

regarding handling after unloading• ideas on how to improve the situation

Process Flow DiagramLanding and distribution of fish in fishery

harbour Fish in the hold (box or hold)

Unloading

Washing

Deliver to the auction hall / pier

Auctioning

Cutting Re-loading

Consumer Re-icing

Transport

Consumer

Video showing harbour activities

Video

Fish in the hold – current practices

• Fish kept in melted water – not using bilge pump

• Ice clumping

• Loosening ice with harbour water

• No sorting• by species• by catching day

• Food kept in the hold – chicken etc.

Fish in the hold – Improvements

• Use boxes for the fish

• Use day labelling

• Make sure drainage from the boxes is good and use bilge pump• introduce false bottom in hold ?

• Food should be kept in closed boxes

Unloading - current practices

• Fish is unloaded straight onto the pier and mostly by hand

• The pier is highly contaminated due to unwanted human activities

• The pier is used for auctioning in some cases

• The pier is used for packaging fish for transport

• Video

Unloading - improvements

• Fish must be unloaded on to pallets or to/in suitable containers

• The pier must be cleaned with potable water of suitable pressure (20-70 bar)

• Zoning should be implemented for the pier• unloading area• washing area• berthing area• loading area (food, ice, oil, water etc..)

Washing – current practices

• Fish is often washed with contaminated harbour water

• Fish is often put straight onto the pier concrete and splashed with harbour water for better appearance before sale

• Equipment, containers and pallets are often washed with harbour water

• Water used for washing fish is not changed frequently

Washing - improvement

• Fish must be washed using potable / clean sea water• Harbour water is not acceptable for celaning and

washing as the water is highly contaminated• All equipment, containers and pallets should be

thoroughly washed• using potable / clean sea water of appropriate pressure

• using suitable cleaning agents

Washing - improvement

• Blood with melted ice and dirty slime layer should be removed by washing

• Running water is recommended for washing • If water used for washing is in a box, tray or any

other container, water must be changed frequently

• Care should be taken to prevent cross contamination during washing

Washing - improvement

• If fish is landed iced in boxes there should be no need to wash it before transport

Preparing for the auction – current practices

• Designated auction area is not always used for auctioning

• Fish from boats further from the pier sometimes gets rough handling

• Fish is usually delivered by hand, not in boxes

Preparing for the auction - improvements

• Fish should not be dragged on the pier floor, and suitable containers / carts should be used

• Fish should not be damaged during unloading and delivery by rough handling

• Minimum handling will reduce the risk of cross-contamination and physical damage

Auctioning – current Auctioning – current practices

• Fish is sold straight from the pier / concrete Fish is sold straight from the pier / concrete

• Unrelated traffic (people and vehicles) in the Unrelated traffic (people and vehicles) in the auctioning area auctioning area

• Auctioning takes too long Auctioning takes too long

• Temperature abuseTemperature abuse

Auctioning - Auctioning - improvements

• Pallets or boxes should be used during Pallets or boxes should be used during auctioningauctioning

• Temperature abuse can be minimized by Temperature abuse can be minimized by • using iceusing ice• shortening the auction timeshortening the auction time

• Zoning should be implemented to reduce Zoning should be implemented to reduce traffictraffic

Re-loading – current practices

• Reloading outside of designated area• Inappropriate vehicles used for transport• Icing not done correctly or at all• Inside of vehicles

• cross-contamination from feet / footwear

• containers / boxes• unsuitable material

• dirty, damaged

• reuse of polystyrene

Re-loading - improvements

• Zoning should be applied to the transport area• Use insulated boxes / insulated or refrigerated

vehicles• Polystyrene (rigifoam) and wooden boxes should be

lined with plastic bags • Ice should be available at the harbour premises• Re-icing must be done as soon as possible according

to transportation time using fresh ice

Re-loading - improvements

• Boxes / vehicles should not be over- or under-loaded

• Use separate footwear inside trucks

• Practice careful handling of fish

• Avoid unnecessary handling

• Fish should be transported separately from other items (tools, boxes etc..)

Transportation – current practices

• Many different types of transport• Refrigerated trucks• Unrefrigerated trucks• Three wheelers• Motorbikes• Bicycles

Transportation - improvements

• Keep fish cool during transport• shield from direct sunlight

• Use clean packaging and vehicles

• Quick transport• Vehicles should leave as soon as they are ready

Cutting – current practices

• Not following hygienic practices • cleaning with harbour water • wooden cutting boards, difficult to clean• no waste bins

Cutting - improvements

• Access to potable water

• Clean / scrape and disinfect wooden surfaces

• Waste bins at each table

Some examples of how hygienic handling, gutting and careful handling can affect quality

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Normal Handling

Aseptic Handling

Clean Handling

Effect of Hygienic Handling on Bacterial Number

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Normal Handling

Clean Handling

Aseptic Handling

Quality Score

Days in Ice

Effect of Hygienic Handling on Quality Score

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Gutted

Un-gutted

Effect of Gutting on Quality Score

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Cooked FilletRaw FilletScore Score

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Emptied GutGut ContentFilletLiver

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Development of Volatile Acids and Bases

Un-gutted Cod