mb4570
2013-08-27 14:37:23
Does anyone put bleach in with their slush ice to keep salmon fresh ? I haven't done this but I was told it keeps the fish better?
Abundance
2013-08-27 15:44:58
I usually splash a little in there. Very cold water should be enough, but I hate waking up in middle of the night worrying if the deckhand scrubbed the totes out well enough, if the bags were washed off well enough, if the water is going to be full of smelly bacteria when they yank out the brailer... a bit of extra peace of mind is worth a lot. And it really does work. One thing that I heard about a little while back was adding salt to the slush on longer coho trips. The chemical properties should cool it right on down, like salt in an ice cream maker. I don't know, but it is something I might try.
Salty
2013-08-27 20:53:02
You don't want bleach in the water or slush you are going to put fish in, particularly dressed fish.
I bleach rinse the hold and brailer bags every delivery.
We unload, pump the water out, add water and bleach, scrub down the holding tank, pump out thoroughly and insert clean dry bag. Then when we get the bags back from the tender we thoroughly wash them, put them in tubs with a bleach rinse solution for at least 5 minutes but not more than 15, and finally we roll up and store.
I believe it is a courtesy and hygienic to have at least two sets of brailer bags for the holds you intend to put fish in. Other wise you are either holding up people waiting to unload while you thoroughly wash and bleach rinse your bags, or you are hurrying and not getting them really clean and sterilized.
Of course if you are a lowliner like us then you aren't taking much time to unload anyway.
mb4570
2013-08-27 21:16:21
Thanks for the advice from both Abundance & Salty!
Hopefully someday I'll catch enough fish to be classified as one of you highly respected low liners! Thanks
Abundance
2013-08-28 00:28:49
Good to know. I had always heard that you should put a capful in, so always thought I was doing something wrong when I would forget. You learn something every day. Thanks for the expert advice!
Salty
2013-08-30 01:10:48
I agree with once and future. My opinion is but one perspective and will probably change as new information filters into my decision making.
akfish
2013-09-09 02:01:55
Speak with DEC in Sitka or Juneau. Put in your usual amount of water and put little bits of bleach in just until your chlorine strip barely changes colors. Helps kill whatever bacteria might be in the slush. You are actually required to do this as a catcher/processor.
Abundance
2013-09-09 17:59:39
Huh, good to know. Thanks for that. I will keep on using a little bit of bleach then. Really, even regular seawater is full of nasty stuff when you think about it. Killing some of it off before sending fish steeped in it out for public consumption seems like a good idea. I know a few drops turn seawater crystal clear.
akfish
2013-09-09 18:04:31
Garrett, you can buy the Test Strips for dirt cheap online, keep them on the boat and use them for your slush as well as any clean up buckets you might want to mix up!
Abundance
2013-09-09 19:03:52
We have to have the test strips for processing shrimp anyway, but I might get extras for slushing. Thanks!
Salty
2013-09-10 17:05:05
It is online discussions like this that help us all get a little better at producing the best salmon product in the world. Thanks for sharing.