Spoilage of Fish in the Vessels at Sea: 6. Variations in the Landed Quality of Trawler-caught Atlantic God and Haddock During a Period of 13 Months

Abstract

A study has been made of the landed quality (i.e. the quality at the time of discharge from the vessels) of trawler-caught, gutted and iced market cod and large haddock. The rate of deterioration, as indicated by the rise in TMA values, varies with the time of the year. Poorer quality fish are landed during the colder months of November and December and also during the warmer summer months of June, July, and August. The best quality fish are landed during the months of February, March, April, May and September.This seasonal spoilage pattern is similar for cod and for haddock and has been observed in the landed quality of the fish from eight individual trawlers over a period of 13 months.Some of the probable factors that bring about this seasonal pattern in the spoilage rate of these fish are discussed.