The colder the storage temperature, the longer the fish can be held.  If handled and cleaned properly, fish can be refrigerated for 24 hours with little flavor loss.  Fish stored on crushed ice will remain fresh for 2 or 3 days, but they must be drained often.  Super-chilled fish can be kept for up to 7 days.

Lean fish can be stored longer than oily fish: whole fish longer than fillets or steaks.

To prepare fish for storing, wipe with paper towels.  Rinse in cold water if intestines were penetrated during cleaning.

Super-chilling is storing fish on crushed ice, and covering them with a salt-ice mixture.  This method holds fish at about 28 degrees, which is colder than refrigeration.  It is especially helpful on long trips when freezing facilities are not available.

Wrap whole fish, fillets or steaks in aluminium foil or plastic wrap before super-chilling.  As the ice melts, add more of the salt-ice mixture.

To Refrigerate Fish:  Wipe fillets, steaks or whole fish with paper towels. Or, rinse them quickly with cold water and pat dry.  Refrigerate fish on paper towels.  Cover them tightly with plastic wrap or aluminium foil.

To Super-Chill Fish:  Stir 1 pound coarse ice cream salt into 20 pounds of crushed ice to make salt-ice mixture.  If less is needed, cut the ingredients accordingly.   Line the cooler with 4 inches of crushed ice.  Leave the drain open.  Place wrapped fish on crushed ice.  Add a layer of salt-ice mixture and then more fish.  Alternate layers, finishing with a generous topping of salt-ice.  Keep the cooler lid tightly closed.

Proper packaging shields the fish from air, which causes freezer burn.  Air cannot penetrate ice, so fish frozen in a solid block of ice or with a glaze of ice are well-protected.  A double wrap of aluminium foil or plastic wrap and freezer paper is added insurance against air penetration.

Cut fillets into serving-size pieces before freezing.  Fish that are being frozen in a block of ice often float to the top before the water freezes.  If this happens, add a little ice water and freeze again before double- wrapping.  Glazed fish should be checked periodically and the glaze renewed, if necessary.

Pack fish for one meal in a container, leaving 1-1/2 inches of airspace; or layer fish on the bottom of the pan.  Cover fish with very cold water.  Freeze the fish in the pan.

Cover milk cartons with aluminium foil.  Place lid on plastic container.  Freeze.  Pop out block of frozen fish from the pan by running cold water on the bottom.

Wrap the solid block of fish in plastic wrap or aluminium foil.  Overlap with freezer paper, sealing tightly.  Label package; include species, date and number of servings.

Double wrap whole fish, steaks or fillets that are frozen without a protective block of  ice. Separate the fillets or steaks with waxed paper to make thawing easier.  This method saves freezer space.

Glaze whole fish by first freezing without wrapping.  Dip frozen fish in very cold water; freeze again.  Repeat 3 to 5 times until 1/8 inch of ice builds up.  Double wrap in airtight package, handling fish carefully.

Store fish in a zero degree freezer.  If ice cream remains firm, the freezer should be adequate.  A frost-free freezer is not recommended because the fan pulls moisture from wrapped fish and quickly causes freezer burn.  The chart below shows storage times.  For top quality, cook within the suggested time.