Freezer onboard

[Chuck]

Looking to use a small apartment style freezer, 5 cu feet onboard my boat and use a small generator to run it.
Interested in members ideas as how to freeze the fish in a way that doesn’t require the fish to be thawed or partial thawed to process and put into vacuum bags once home while also keeping DFO happy with fillets intact as well as identifiable.
Also curious to know if it makes any difference that I’m living on the boat for the duration of the fishing trip?

Thanks,

 

[Rob H]

Keep your fillets whole but cut through the flesh but not through the skin at the points where you want your portions to be. Put a small piece of saran wrap or equivalent in each of the partial cuts you made in the fillet. You will easily snap the portions apart when you get home without having to thaw the fish. Vac pack the individual portions when you are home. If you are putting two fillets in a bag wrap one or both in saran to keep them separate as well.
...Rob

 

[Captain PartyMarty]

We cut the flesh and leave the skin intact, not sure why you would put plastic between the cuts. we just hit joint and it breaks apart pretty easy. Vacuum pack once your home. Works great

 

[Sangstercraft]

Check out the Dometic line of DC fridges and freezers. They are super efficient and can run on solar. No need to bring a generator with you. My brother has one and loves it.

 

[Slydog]

We have an Engel 12vdc freezer on board and it is the best thing since sliced bread. It’s backed up with 400 watts solar and a 600 amps AGM battery bank. I don’t beleive there are any restrictions about freezing fish on board as long as it is identified but canning on board is not allowed.(please correct me if I’m wrong). We got the freezer on Craigslist for a great price from an elderly couple who had sold their boat and retired from fishing.

 

[trophywife]

number every fish and piece of it and write on package clearly in bold: eg- fish 1 piece 1 looks like this ..
1:2, 1:3, 1:4, etc, then species on it =ch, co,hal, ling....
catchers initials and a date.

proper packaging and EFFORT will NEVER get you in trouble.

 

[TomicTime]

i can second theEngel freezer recommendation as well