Optimal Conditions for Long-distance Transportation of Live Black Rockfish (Sebastes schlegeli) and Changes in their Characteristics during Transport

Optimal transport conditions for the live black rockfish and changes in their characteristics during long-distance transport were investigated. Oxygen consumption by black rockfish was lowest at 4°C and increased as the water temperature increased up to a maximum at 10°C. At a water temperature of 8°C and 10°C, the plasma glucose concentration of the fish was 36.2 and 38.2 mg/dL, respectively. The mean weight of the fish reduced to approximately 2.8% of initial weight after 16 days of storage at 8°C. The fish did not feed, and the survival rate of fish stored for 16 days at 8°C was 98.4%. The longer the live fish were stored in the container, the quicker the onset of rigor mortis after the slaughter was reached. Compared with fillets from control fish, the chewiness of fillets was somewhat lower (17.3%) after storage of fish for 16 days, but the softness of the fillets was slightly higher (21.6%). From these results, it was suggested that the optimum temperature for long-distance transport of the live fish was 8°C and that the long transport period of live fishes decreased their fillet quality more rapidly after fish death.