Seafood handling and storage

Small-scale fishing communities can benefit from improving the handling, landing, catch-and-release, and processing of fishery products. Discover how to help avoid spoilage, increase income, promote a safer working environment, and improve sanitary conditions. 

Resources

The small-scale fisheries and energy nexus

This publication introduces the current situation and proposes a way forward with regard to the use of renewable energy in small-scale fisheries. It provides general guidance for decision-makers and development specialists on the choices, benefits and challenges related to renewable energy use and uptake in small-scale fisheries.

Fish Handling and Hygiene Training Manual

The SWIOTUNA Training Manual for Fish Quality, Safety & Handling provides easy-to- use information for guiding Small Scale fishers towards the improvement of quality and safety of fish and fishery products, through promoting good hygiene practices and good manufacturing practices.

Skipper's Guidebook to Pole-And-Line Fishing Best Practices

A guidebook detailing best-practices for maximising catch value and also minimising the environmental impacts of pole-and-line tuna fisheries is published by the International Pole & Line Foundation (IPNLF) and the International Seafood Sustainability Foundation (ISSF).

Post-harvest practices for empowering women in small-scale fisheries in Africa

Post-harvest challenges faced by small-scale fisheries stakeholders have been the focus of numerous projects, programmes and investments in Africa. Many of these initiatives have aimed to benefit women, who often dominate processing and trade activities.

This report provides a summary of key findings from a desk review and primary data research that has aimed to identify successful post-harvest initiatives related to infrastructure design and management, improved post-harvest technology, value addition and access to finance.

Making sense of wild seafood supply chains

A primer for resource managers, scientists, fishers, and other industry players seeking to harness the power of supply chains to ignite sustainable management in artisanal fisheries.

Good post-harvest practices for fresh fish trading: Facilitators guide

This training material is a facilitator guide for peer to peer learning on better management practices for post-harvest handling and trading of fresh fish.

Guide to improved dried shrimp production

This guide is for dried-shrimp producers, buyers and those involved in extension services. The aim is to describe good processing, handling and hygiene practices that will help producers maximize the value and income from dried shrimp, meet required national standards and access new and high-value markets.

Post-harvest losses in small-scale fisheries: Case studies in five sub-Saharan African countries

This regional programme began in October 2006 and lasted 18 months. It aimed to build on past initiatives and develop tools for practical loss assessment in artisanal fisheries. The programme provided capacity building for fishery officers in qualitative and quantitative fish loss assessments methods, planned support, and supervised the implementation of loss assessment studies in five sub-Saharan African countries (Ghana, Kenya, Mali, United Republic of Tanzania and Uganda).

Processing sea cucumbers into beche-de-mer: A manual for Pacific Island fishers

This manual is designed for sea cucumber fishers in Pacific Islands. The species depicted in this manual are ones commonly fished in Pacific Islands.

Fish handling, quality and processing: training and community trainers manual

This manual has been produced to help introduce better practices that can help people make more from the fish they catch, process and sell, as well as help them reduce post-harvest losses.

Handling seafood in the Pacific Islands: Information sheets for fishers, vendors and consumers

This guide contains five information sheets about how to handle and care for fish as a fisher, fish vendor or customer, to make sure that fish stays fresh, healthy and safe for human consumption.

Dead fish is not manna

This publication brings to the frontline, issues that beg for attention in the fisheries sector.

Chapter one of this publication, titled COVID-19 and Fisheries, highlights how the pandemic has affected the fisheries subsector.

Chapter two, titled Dead Fish is not Manna, captures the peculiarities and challenges of fisheries in Nigeria noting the contaminated state of some of the fishes sold in the country's markets.

Manual de Buenas Prácticas en las Faenas de Pesca Artesanal

"El presente manual ha sido diseñado en el marco del proyecto "Fortalecimento de Prácticas de Pesca Sostenibles para la Autogestión: Empoderando Pescadores Artesanales Lambayecanos" (PNIPA-PES-SEREX-127), financiado por el Programa Nacional de Innovación en Pesca y Acuicultura (PNIPA). El objectivo del manual es contribuir con el foralecimiento de prácticas de pesca artesanal responsable de pescadores artesanales de San José - Lamayeque. El manual contiene informacón generada a través del dictado de módulos informativos teórico-prácticos, desarrollados a lo largo del proyecto."

Training Manual on Improved Fish Handling and Preservation Techniques

"The training manual aims to disseminate technical information related to the fish handling and preservation techniques in small-scale fisheries in order to improve technical know-how of the fisher-folk, fish processors, fish transporters and other fisheries stakeholders to produce quality fishery products in compliance with safety standards."

Manual of Good Hygiene Practice for Fishing Boats and Fish Landing Sites in Small-scale Fisheries

"This manual provides small-scale fisheries stakeholders with guidance on how to handle fishery products (FP) hygienically and carefully to produce food that is safe to eat and of high quality. It is intended for use by small scale fishers and other stakeholders in community based FP supply chains. It is a working manual and aims to raise awareness of hygiene and quality standards and how to achieve them. The overall aim of the manual is to provide small scale fisheries stakeholders with the basic knowledge to improve food health quality of FP, reduce post harvest losses and so increase income from small-scale fishery operations."

SSF Guidelines: Value chains, post-harvest and trade

This short, animated video gives insights into value chains, post-harvest and trade in small-scale fisheries in small-scale fisheries.

Food loss and waste in fish value chains

Food loss and waste (FLW) in the fisheries sector is a complex issue with multiple and interrelated causes at different levels. This e-learning course is for programme officers and technical specialists, as well as extension agents, who are involved in loss and waste prevention and reduction.

Discussions

Ubaldo Tume

Mi nombre ubaldo Tume Periche, de la Caleta Cabo Blanco al norte de Perú, aquí en esta zona venimos trabajando con aparejos de pesca que son amigables con el ecosistema marino y que se han usado estas prácticas de tiempos de antaño y que se van pasando de generación en generación.