EFFECT OF THE METHOD OF STORAGE ON-BOARD FISHING VESSELS ON THE QUALITY OF FISH

In order to study how the different methods of storing fish on-board t he fishing vessels affected the microbial and sensorial quality of the fish, an experiment was made on a breton trawler during a two-week fi shing period in Southern Ireland. Megrims were stored in ice either in bulk or in plastic on-board crates. Microbiological analysis and sens ory assessment of product were performed on fish caught at the beginni ng and at the end of the fishing period, at different stages of the tr ading (unloading, fish trade, fish shop). The quality of megrims store d in on-board crates is significantly higher than that of megrims stor ed in bulk. Results of sensory evaluation of the raw fish generally ag reed with the microbiological results. This work also confirmed that t he length of storage on-board has an important influence on fish quali ty.