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Development in fish preservation and
transportation has increased significantly the
share of fish production that enters international
trade. Fish is traded live, fresh, frozen, cured or
canned. It is transported by sea, air or land.
Live, fresh and frozen fish require special care in
comparison with cured or canned fish.
Transportation of live fish requires oxygen for
respiration and removal of the toxic gases and
by-products that accumulate, such as CO2 and
ammonia. Certain fish, like catfish, can obtain
oxygen through the damp surface of their gills or
through the body skin. Other fish, like the
climbing perch, have accessory air-breathing
organs. But most finfish are transported live in
water supersaturated with oxygen and kept at a
temperature low enough to reduce their metabolism.
Some tropical fish may not support temperatures
below 10°C. Fish is often Starved (also called
conditioned) before transportation to reduce its
metabolism and increase the packing density.
Crustaceans are transported live in wet packages
using wet sawdust or other ways to keep the
atmosphere surrounding the live animals humid and
cool.
Air cargo is responsible for transporting over
5% of the world annual catch and the increasing
demand for fresh fish fuels a growing demand for
air shipment of fish. However, successful air
transport of fish and seafood requires special care
in preparation and handling of the shipments, and
excellent communication among the shipper, carrier
and consignee. Also, it should be stressed that
hubs often necessitate cargo transfers under tight
schedules and the reliance on combination
passenger-cargo, entry and exit in all markets can
influence the timing of the delivery and the
quality of the delivered products. But most
importantly, the air shipment of improperly
packaged fishery products is a safety hazard
because of the potential damage, mainly by
corrosion, to the interior and control mechanisms
of the aircraft. Several companies spend yearly
millions of U.S. dollars to repair damage that
result from leaking seafood packages. Although ice
is permitted to keep the fish cool, given it is
sealed in plastic pouches, dry ice or gel packs are
preferred by most airliners.
The most challenging aspect of fish
transportation by sea or by road is the maintenance
of the cold chain, for fresh, chilled and frozen
products and the optimisation of the packing and
stowage density. Maintaining the cold chain
requires the use of insulated containers or
transport vehicles and adequate quantities of
coolants or mechanical refrigeration. Continuous
temperature monitors are used to provide evidence
that the cold chain has not been broken during
transportation.
Excellent development in food packaging and
handling allow rapid and efficient loading,
transport and unloading of fish and fishery
products by road or by sea. Also, transport of fish
by sea allows for the use of special containers
that carry fish under vacuum, modified or
controlled atmosphere, combined with
refrigeration.
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