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Rules & Regulations of Cooking
Fish cooking rules and regulations for basic food safety, handling & prep, storage, and more.

Cooking Rules & Regulations

Culinary Info and Fish Preparation Q&As

By Fishing & Food Editor Renee Shelton

Storage for Frozen and Canned Fish and Seafood:

Note: If fish or seafood becomes thawed out at any time, it must be used immediately.

Item Specifics and How its Packaged:	Recommended Storage Periods and notes
Frozen: Fish that are fatty (like mackerel and salmon)	-10°F to 0°F up to 3 months
Frozen: Other Fish	-10°F to 0°F up to 6 months
Frozen: Shell Fish: Mollusks and Crustaceans	-10°F to 0°F up to 4 months Also refer to stamp dates on container
Canned: Pickled Fish	Unopened 4 months Also refer to stamp dates on can
Canned: Seafood, in general	Unopened 1 year Also refer to stamp dates on can

Remember these are only guidelines or basic information. Contact your local extension service for more detailed information or the latest recommendations, or a seafood governmental agency.

Wanting more information on the web about the above topic? Check out these online resources for freezing information:

For more information about freezing from the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service:
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Focus_On_Freezing/index.asp

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More Fish Preparation Guidelines:

Basic food handling safety and preperation guidelines.

Marine Envenomation.

Precautions for amberjacks, barracuda and other carnivorous fish (ciguatoxin).

Improper temperature storage dangers for tuna, mahi mahi, bonito, mackerel and other related fish (scombroid poisoning).

Fish purchasing guidelines (for finfish, mollusks and crustaceans).

Refrigerated storage for fish and shellfish.

Storage times for frozen and canned fish and shellfish.

Catching and keeping fish safely while boating.

Defrosting fish and seafood in a microwave.