# Too much fish, am I safe for a few days?



## legend_018 (Jan 24, 2015)

ok I over did it. I want to try to eat more fish. So what do I do? I go to the store and I do my weekly grocery shoping. I bought 1lb of cod, 1lb of salmon and these little fresh daily chowder fish cups they put together. Not too shabby at $3.99 for the cup which is a pound. 

Ok that was Friday. I cooked up the cod today for my kids and 2 of there friends. They had it for lunch with Rice. There little so they don't eat a lot. Unless its doritos or icecream. ha ha.   I think I'm going to try to make a super simple fish chowder recipe from Fish Chowder Recipe - Food.com. 

My question, can I wait until Monday to cook the Salmon? I'm having company tomorrow and my brother is treating to his Lasagna.  I bought all this fish on Friday at Market Basket.

I always hear people say to buy fish the day you plan on making it.  Getting nervous about my fish choices. Am I sounding too fishy?


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## Silversage (Jan 24, 2015)

Three days is a longtime for fish.
I'd freeze it.


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## jennyema (Jan 24, 2015)

Too many variables with fish.

You don't know if it's been previously frozen (likely) or when it arrived at the Market Basket.

I'd personally not eat it, but you might do a sniff test and if it smells fishy it's gone off.  Then it's your call.


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## Mad Cook (Jan 24, 2015)

legend_018 said:


> ok I over did it. I want to try to eat more fish. So what do I do? I go to the store and I do my weekly grocery shoping. I bought 1lb of cod, 1lb of salmon and these little fresh daily chowder fish cups they put together. Not too shabby at $3.99 for the cup which is a pound.
> 
> Ok that was Friday. I cooked up the cod today for my kids and 2 of there friends. They had it for lunch with Rice. There little so they don't eat a lot. Unless its doritos or icecream. ha ha. I think I'm going to try to make a super simple fish chowder recipe from Fish Chowder Recipe - Food.com.
> 
> ...


From the point of view of quality, fish is best eaten as soon as possible after it comes out of the water. However we aren't all that fortunate. The test is that fish should never smell "fishy" but should smell "of the sea" and if it smells in the least bit of ammonia throw it away.


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## Steve Kroll (Jan 25, 2015)

Whenever I find a good buy on fresh fish, I usually pick one that I am going to eat right away. The rest goes in the freezer.


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## Cooking Goddess (Jan 25, 2015)

Sniff test, definitely. Also, run your dry hand over it to make sure it doesn't feel tacky. If it does, it's gone.

Whenever you buy fish at the store, don't hesitate to ask the sales person/fishmonger when the fish was brought in. I know I'm safe for a day or two if it's today's delivery. If it was brought in yesterday, I make sure that fish will be tonight's supper.


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## Cooking4to (Jan 25, 2015)

Salmon should smell like watermelon when really fresh, I wont buy it unless it smells like watermelon, if it is odorless I wont buy it and if it smells like fish, definitely not...

I always buy seafood the day I am going to cook it unless it is still alive {lobster, clams, crab, ect}.  

Fish is one of them things that can taste totally different depending on how it was stored and how old it is, with a short time making a HUGE difference...  For instance previously frozen sword fish tastes like a different fish than fresh sword, there is a reason its twice the price...

I was on a chartered fishing trip a few years back, I pulled in a 300lb sword and we ate steaks that day off that fish, it was amazing and tasted much different than it did just a day later.  In my experience, salmon, mako, sword, and tuna taste much different the older they get, they may still be fresh but deteriorating by the hour.  Not all fish are as touchy, Haddock, pollock, and cod tend to taste similar from day old to just before spoiling...


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## CraigC (Jan 25, 2015)

Cooking4to said:


> I was on a chartered fishing trip a few years back, I pulled in a 300lb sword and we ate steaks that day off that fish, it was amazing and tasted much different than it did just a day later.  *In my experience, salmon, mako, sword, and tuna taste much different the older they get,* they may still be fresh but deteriorating by the hour.  Not all fish are as touchy, Haddock, pollock, and cod tend to taste similar from day old to just before spoiling...



I can see that as these are considered oily/fatty fish. Even when frozen the fat can go rancid. Mako shark, as with all sharks, urinate through their flesh. That is a big reason they start to deteriorate quickly. I've heard soaking in milk (base) helps, but I won't eat shark for the above reason.

I will not buy fish fillets. If I didn't shoot it or see it whole before purchase, I won't eat it.


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## Cooking4to (Jan 25, 2015)

CraigC said:


> I can see that as these are considered oily/fatty fish. Even when frozen the fat can go rancid. Mako shark, as with all sharks, urinate through their flesh. That is a big reason they start to deteriorate quickly. I've heard soaking in milk (base) helps, but I won't eat shark for the above reason.
> 
> I will not buy fish fillets. If I didn't shoot it or see it whole before purchase, I won't eat it.



I have a recipe for shark that I like, I don't make it often, but yes its not an easy seafood to get perfect, I grill it, soak it in wine, and start with a quality product...  A warm milk soak works great, but if there is any sent of ammonia I wouldn't buy it...  

I am lucky enough to have a GREAT local source for seafood.  You need to know when and where to buy what...  I am not a fan of frozen fish so I buy fresh and seafood is one of them things I never plan {unless its lobster since I buy it live}, if I go to the butcher and he has some really good looking sword, tuna, or salmon and I am in the mood for it I will buy it and cook it that day.  He is expensive but the product is amazing...  

I also WILL NOT order seafood from a restaurant, I only eat it when I cook it myself, I got food poisoning about 9 years ago from salmon and white rice at a restaurant, I was in the hospital for 4 days {2 of which was in icu}, ended up removing my gall bladder shortly after, it was not a pleasant experience, 104 fever, hallucinations, etc...  It was a solid 2 years before I ate seafood again...


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## CraigC (Jan 25, 2015)

I have a great local source for a lot of the seafood we eat, the Atlantic Ocean.


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## salt and pepper (Jan 25, 2015)

You can brine it and and seal it in a food saver bag. It will be safe to eat.


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## Cooking4to (Jan 25, 2015)

CraigC said:


> I have a great local source for a lot of the seafood we eat, the Atlantic Ocean.



LOL, I am familiar with her, I have fished everywhere from the coat of block island to cape Elizabeth.  One time we chartered a trip in florida with the guys from Chaoss, and I swear we were so far off Jupitor Island one time that I could see grand bahama,  !!! We just kept chugging east and fast, they said it was how the current works, but it just dragged us so fast and smooth, I never felt anything like it.  I didn't catch anything fun that day, but did smoke the motor on my Penn Dolphin, I know I deserve what I get for using an e-assist, but I have pulled in 2 marlins and a bunch of swords by hand, I have fished all over the world and reeled my share of fish, I can honestly say it was fun then but not anymore, lol. I fish to relax...

If you are on the ocean and have the ability to catch fish when you want to eat them, that is the best way to go, no doubt, nothing like catching, gutting, cutting, and cooking before you are even back to shore!!!  I would never buy venison, lol, I can go out in my back yard and take my limit in weekend, so I am sure someone who fishes a lot would feel the same way...  Or someone who has wild boar in their back yard would not be buying pork...


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## Steve Kroll (Jan 25, 2015)

CraigC said:


> I will not buy fish fillets. If I didn't shoot it or see it whole before purchase, I won't eat it.


Well, that's great if you happen to live near the Atlantic Ocean, but for the remaining 99.9% of us who have little choice but to buy fillets, it's more realistic to judge by sight, smell, and touch. I get the impression the original poster probably doesn't have access to his own fishing boat.


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## CraigC (Jan 25, 2015)

I catch lobster, several species. I don't catch fish, I shoot them. Hogfish being #1, mutton snapper #2 and my favorite, black grouper #3. Although I list it as my favorite, it is #3 because the are very quick to haul butt after seeing you. You better get a shot off within about 3 seconds or they are gone. I'm lucky if I get 2 a year/season.


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## Cooking4to (Jan 25, 2015)

Steve Kroll said:


> Well, that's great if you happen to live near the Atlantic Ocean, but for the remaining 99.9% of us who have little choice but to buy fillets, it's more realistic to judge by sight, smell, and touch. I get the impression the original poster probably doesn't have access to his own fishing boat.



I think he meant see the fish whole, like a fish market that will filet you a salmon in front of you, this way you know the fish wasn't hit by a car or a victim of suicide...


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## Steve Kroll (Jan 25, 2015)

Cooking4to said:


> I think he meant see the fish whole, like a fish market that will filet you a salmon in front of you, this way you know the fish wasn't hit by a car or a victim of suicide...



I'm pretty sure I know what he meant. However, I live smack dab in the middle of the country. When we see salmon here, it's almost never whole, even at the "upscale" fish market where the price is double.


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## Cooking4to (Jan 25, 2015)

CraigC said:


> I catch lobster, several species. I don't catch fish, I shoot them. Hogfish being #1, mutton snapper #2 and my favorite, black grouper #3. Although I list it as my favorite, it is #3 because the are very quick to haul butt after seeing you. You better get a shot off within about 3 seconds or they are gone. I'm lucky if I get 2 a year/season.



I have never shot a fish, my father went fishing in alaska and he said they shot the halibut before bringing it in the boat, but the hooked it first.  And I have seen people fresh water fish with a rimfire rifle, and pebbles, thats pretty cool, you toss a pebble into the shallow clear water and wait for a fish to investigate, then shoot it and net it, but never did it myself.. 
 I have shot plenty of turkeys {lots of wingeds, I love bird hunting}, deer, bear {ok not plenty of bear, lol}, buffalo {no fun at all, much like target practice, only did that once}, wild hog {about the most fun I have ever had holding a rifle}, etc, but never shot a fish...

Where are you out of Craig, catching lobster and the atlantic coast, Maine?


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## CraigC (Jan 25, 2015)

Steve Kroll said:


> Well, that's great if you happen to live near the Atlantic Ocean, but for the remaining 99.9% of us who have little choice but to buy fillets, it's more realistic to judge by sight, smell, and touch. I get the impression the original poster probably doesn't have access to his own fishing boat.



I choose to live here because there is access to the Atlantic and Gulf. Not telling you what to do with your limited choices, just stating what I will do or not do. BTW, I think you will find a lot more than .01% living around our coastal areas.


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## Steve Kroll (Jan 25, 2015)

CraigC said:


> I choose to live here because there is access to the Atlantic and Gulf. Not telling you what to do with your limited choices, just stating what I will do or not do. BTW, I think you will find a lot more than .01% living around our coastal areas.



That's fine for you. Again, most of us here are trying to provide a realistic and reasonable answer to the poster's question, not something as silly as "if you want good fish, walk down to the ocean and shoot it."


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## CraigC (Jan 25, 2015)

Cooking4to said:


> Where are you out of Craig, catching lobster and the atlantic coast, Maine?



SE Florida. I use a speargun, kinda like archery, so to speak.


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## CraigC (Jan 25, 2015)

Steve Kroll said:


> That's fine for you. Again, most of us here are trying to provide a realistic and reasonable answer to the poster's question, not something as silly as "if you want good fish, walk down to the ocean and shoot it."



The OP is in NH, therefore has a lot more access to fresh, whole fish. If you read what I said, you would have noticed my recommendation about whole fish. Shooting the fish, is just an option I happen to have.


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## Cooking4to (Jan 25, 2015)

Steve Kroll said:


> I'm pretty sure I know what he meant. However, I live smack dab in the middle of the country. When we see salmon here, it's almost never whole, even at the "upscale" fish market where the price is double.



I would trade locations with you right now, lol  You are in one of the best hunting states in the country {IMO}.  The largest Buck I ever took was in Fillmore {south east, I think its the furthest town in that direction}, I have never shook when looking at an animal but when I seen them antlers pushing through brush making all kinds of noise, my bow was visibly shaking.  I had to put it down take a few breaths and regroup, I knew it was going to be the best deer I ever seen, and then when I measured and it was still outside of a record animal, I remember thinking if this was in my yard back on the east coast it would make national news, and shatter every record in the books.  I had to donate the mount to a local organization {that was the deal for me to get the tag} and my heart broke a bit, but it was worth it...


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## Cooking4to (Jan 25, 2015)

CraigC said:


> SE Florida. I use a speargun, kinda like archery, so to speak.



I was only 1600 miles off, lol, OK I take that back I have shot a fish, with a spear gun, well no I take that back again, I have been spear gun fishing and never shot a fish...  Sorry..

I am envious of you, that is some of the best fishing in the country, I sadly have to fly somewhere to really get excited about fishing, I catch bluefish and stuff like that when we go to block island or south ct, but nothing crazy..


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## Mad Cook (Jan 26, 2015)

CraigC said:


> I can see that as these are considered oily/fatty fish. Even when frozen the fat can go rancid. Mako shark, as with all sharks, urinate through their flesh. That is a big reason they start to deteriorate quickly. I've heard soaking in milk (base) helps, but *I won't eat shark* for the above reason.
> 
> I will not buy fish fillets. If I didn't shoot it or see it whole before purchase, I won't eat it.


I would jolly well think not! Shark are protected species in many far less developed countries than the USA.


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## Mad Cook (Jan 26, 2015)

Steve Kroll said:


> I'm pretty sure I know what he meant. However, I live smack dab in the middle of the country. When we see salmon here, it's almost never whole, even at the "upscale" fish market where the price is double.


 That's one of the advantages to living on what Bill Bryson called "A Small Island". Nowhere in Britain is more than 75 miles from the sea. And salmon and trout are available farmed as well as out of rivers (which is more expensive). There is fish available that's imported from the rest of the world but I try not to buy it as British fishing fleets need all the help they can get and the fish is great too. 

We have a proper fishmonger in the village. He gets his fish straight off the fishing boats at Fleetwood, an hour and a half away. It's so fresh it that it lifts its head off the slab and says "Good morning" to you as you're choosing it  in the shop!


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## medtran49 (Jan 26, 2015)

Steve Kroll said:


> Well, that's great if you happen to live near the Atlantic Ocean, but for the remaining 99.9% of us who have little choice but to buy fillets, it's more realistic to judge by sight, smell, and touch. I get the impression the original poster probably doesn't have access to his own fishing boat.


 
Um, US Census data states over 30% of US population lives in coastal COUNTIES.  So, given that it's just counties that are mentioned, you've already got way more than your 0.1% and if you count in the counties that are adjacent inland to the coastal counties within say 100 miles, you've got a heck a lot of more people.  Any place that's less than a day's drive should have fresh fish at a reasonable price for an extremely large portion of the US population; plus, let's not forget about that newfangled invention, airplanes, that can bring in just about anything from anywhere same day or next day, albeit pretty pricey, depending on what/where.


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## Steve Kroll (Jan 26, 2015)

medtran49 said:


> ... plus, let's not forget about that newfangled invention, airplanes, that can bring in just about anything from anywhere same day or next day, albeit pretty pricey, depending on what/where.


Oh my goodness. Seriously? So you're suggesting that people who don't live near a coast should just have fresh fish overnighted to their homes whenever they have an inkling?? 

I don't know what your food budget is like, but that doesn't really fit into mine. But hey, why stop there? Maybe we should all just buy our own Learjet, so we can fly out there and shoot our own.


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## Silversage (Jan 27, 2015)

Steve Kroll said:


> That's fine for you. Again, most of us here are trying to provide a realistic and reasonable answer to the poster's question, not something as silly as "if you want good fish, walk down to the ocean and shoot it."





Steve Kroll said:


> Oh my goodness. Seriously? So you're suggesting that people who don't live near a coast should just have fresh fish overnighted to their homes whenever they have an inkling??
> 
> I don't know what your food budget is like, but that doesn't really fit into mine. But hey, why stop there? Maybe we should all just buy our own Learjet, so we can fly out there and shoot our own.



+1
+1

This thread is another that has turned into the same few with 'everyone needs to do it my way because I do it better than everyone else.'  

The OP bought fish on Friday.  On Saturday he asked us if it would keep for 2 more days.  None of the bravado about shooting fish or living on the ocean contributes to that answer.


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## medtran49 (Jan 27, 2015)

Steve Kroll said:


> Oh my goodness. Seriously? So you're suggesting that people who don't live near a coast should just have fresh fish overnighted to their homes whenever they have an inkling??
> 
> I don't know what your food budget is like, but that doesn't really fit into mine. But hey, why stop there? Maybe we should all just buy our own Learjet, so we can fly out there and shoot our own.


 
AND you're deflecting from the main point of my post, you made an erroneous statement about 99.1% of Americans not having easy access to fresh fish, which simply is just not true.  I noticed you didn't bother quoting that... or commenting on the census data.   

As well, most, if not all, dedicated fish markets FLY in (or truck in depending on how close to coast they are) at least some of the products they sell at least once or twice a week (if not more), so you don't have to do it on your own (an assumption).  Even close to the coastline here, our local dedicated fish markets fly in product from the West coast or Northeast coast.  All you have to do is ask and they'll tell you which days and which products.  And those products tend to be more pricey than locally sourced seafood.  You made the leap/assumption about doing it on your own or buying a Lear jet.  

And, no we don't have a huge food budget, but we buy in bulk, buy from a wholesale place, Costco, and shop the sales at the supermarket, making use of the deep freeze.  Two or three times a year, we'll treat ourselves to something special (usually not seafood), even if that means having it overnighted or 2nd day, which usually adds no more than $30-35 dollars... about a tip from a dinner with wine at a very nice restaurant, which again is a rare treat since we can do better at home than a lot of restaurants.


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## Mad Cook (Jan 27, 2015)

Silversage said:


> +1
> +1
> 
> This thread is another that has turned into the same few with *'everyone needs to do it my way because I do it better than everyone else.'*
> ...


That's a bit unfair. I don't think that, because I say that it is MY choice not to buy fish which has been airfreighted from the other side of the world, that I should be interpreted as saying no-one else should buy it. Each to his own.


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## Cooking4to (Jan 27, 2015)

I really hope the op has cooked that fish by now


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## CWS4322 (Jan 27, 2015)

I get my fish the same day it is killed from the fishmonger. Properly stored, it usually has a shelf life of 7 days. Most fish (sold fresh in the grocery store) has been frozen and thawed. A lot of fish that is "on special" has been warehoused (frozen) for awhile. I assume the fish had an expiration date? If it was on special because it was close to it's expiration date, then you probably would have wanted to eat it up before that date. Portion wise, I plan 5 oz per person dressed weight. If it is a whole fish sold hanging weight, I have to factor in how much is lost when dressing it if I want the whole fish to figure out the # of portions I'm getting. I try to buy the # of portions I need (I portion it at home, but get a slab of salmon that weighs 10 oz, for example, if I want to make two adult-sized servings).  In the future, I'd suggest asking some questions about the fish on special--where caught, when caught, when killed, if it was frozen (on the boat or on land), when the store got it, etc. 


My fishmonger's prices are pretty competitive, as long as the fish is sustainable and in season. Here in Canada, the mark up on fresh fish in the store is 100-105% (based on the auction price--which is where our local fishmongers get most of the fish sold). Local fishmongers pay an auction # fee to attend the auction in Montreal. The ships come in with the fish in tanks, alive, one night, are government inspected the next day, kept in the tanks, sold the following day (auction starts at 0-dark hundred) and killed before they are packed on ice and refrigerated trucks bring them to Ontario. This is why fishmongers here are closed M-Tue and offer discounts of Sundays, that is usually fish Wednesday or Friday and should be eaten that day or the next. 


If you have a local fishmonger, a visit when fish is on sale at the supermarket might be worthwhile for comparison shopping purposes.


I can't eat oily fish or fish that is too fishy...supposedly you can use lemon juice before cooking it to remove the fishy smell and salt the fish before cooking it to remove the oil. I stick with fresh fish and fish I know I can stomach. Smoked eel is not on my list, nor is fresh eel or mackerel.


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## RPCookin (Feb 16, 2015)

Mad Cook said:


> I would jolly well think not! Shark are protected species in many far less developed countries than the USA.



Yeah.  They are protected in the Bahamas.  No spearing for them, and no taking of sharks period, even by hook and line.  Spearfishing in the Bahamas is by sling and free diving only.  

I fished there a bit during the 2 years we lived there, and when you fish there you are guaranteed to see sharks.  In fact, the challenge after the first couple of fish is to land them before the sharks get them.  I've lost tackle to lemon sharks several times, and fish I was trying to land went too.  I've also landed fish with fresh bite gashes from sharks hitting the fish as I was fighting it.  

This is a photo of a friend and his buddies after a trip down south to the Diana Banks.  Note the wahoo lying on the dock that's only half there.  He told me a big tiger shark took the rest in one bite.


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## Mad Cook (Feb 16, 2015)

CWS4322 said:


> I get my fish the same day it is killed from the fishmonger. Properly stored, it usually has a shelf life of 7 days. Most fish (sold fresh in the grocery store) has been frozen and thawed. A lot of fish that is "on special" has been warehoused (frozen) for awhile. I assume the fish had an expiration date? If it was on special because it was close to it's expiration date, then you probably would have wanted to eat it up before that date. Portion wise, I plan 5 oz per person dressed weight. If it is a whole fish sold hanging weight, I have to factor in how much is lost when dressing it if I want the whole fish to figure out the # of portions I'm getting. I try to buy the # of portions I need (I portion it at home, but get a slab of salmon that weighs 10 oz, for example, if I want to make two adult-sized servings). In the future, I'd suggest asking some questions about the fish on special--where caught, when caught, when killed, if it was frozen (on the boat or on land), when the store got it, etc.
> 
> 
> My fishmonger's prices are pretty competitive, as long as the fish is sustainable and in season. Here in Canada, the mark up on fresh fish in the store is 100-105% (based on the auction price--which is where our local fishmongers get most of the fish sold). Local fishmongers pay an auction # fee to attend the auction in Montreal. The ships come in with the fish in tanks, alive, one night, are government inspected the next day, kept in the tanks, sold the following day (auction starts at 0-dark hundred) and killed before they are packed on ice and refrigerated trucks bring them to Ontario. This is why fishmongers here are closed M-Tue and offer discounts of Sundays, that is usually fish Wednesday or Friday and should be eaten that day or the next.
> ...


 If the fish smells "fishy" then it is past its best. Good fresh fish does not smell fishy, it smells "of the sea" and if you have smelled very fresh fish you'll know what I mean. It should have shiny skin and bright eyes. If the fish has dull, sunken, dry eyes, walk on by. It's been dead too long.


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## Addie (Feb 17, 2015)

Boston and Gloucester used to have very large, active fishing fleets. Sadly, due to all the regulations, little by little the fleets have been dwindling. So now most of our "fresh" fish in Boston, comes out of Canada, mostly Nova Scotia. But we still have a very large fleet of lobster trappers. When the warm weather comes around, our fair weather friends take out their boats and take up lobster trapping. But only if it is warm out there. Fortunately around October the put their boats up and the folks who lobster year round for their living, continue. But there are fewer and fewer of them each year. So up go the price. We were able to bet lobsters during the summer for $3.99 a pound. Today, it is $5.99.


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