by Tierney O'Hara

Created on: August 01, 2009   Last Updated: August 02, 2009

Ideally we could catch a fish and cook it within a half hour. There would be no doubt in our mind that the fish was fresh.

Unfortunately, most of us have to shop for fish, and must depend upon our knowledge and our nose to decide if the fish we are buying is fresh enough to eat.

How long did it linger on the deck of a boat before it was iced or frozen? How clean were the waters from which the fish was caught? How did the grocery store handle the fish when it got to the store?

If all these questions could be answered by the seafood manager or fishmonger, it would be easy to know what fish was the freshest and what fish was past its prime.

But we're on our own, so the first tip as to the freshness of the fish will be how the store or seafood counter smells. If fishy odors attack your nostrils when you open the door or reach the counter, you can guess that this establishment is not selling the freshest fish or not storing the fish properly causing it to begin decomposition.

Any kind of strong "fishy" smell is letting you know the fish is far from its peak and is heading away from "fresh" and rapidly moving towards "spoiled."

Always take the time to smell the fish itself, because fresh fish smells...um...fresh!

Experts say fish should smell like seaweed, or saltwater, mixed with fresh air and newly cut grass. Some chefs say fresh fish smells like a cut melon - moist and pleasant.

If the fish you want to buy has a sulfur, sharp or sour smell, it's not suitable for cooking, so sniff your fish and get a good whiff, to ensure there's no hint of spoilage.

Eye clarity is a good characteristic to judge some fish by that are sold whole, but only about half the food species can be judged by clear eyes. Fish from deeper waters usually have cloudy eyes and yet can be only hours from their home waters.

If you are sure the fish variety you are buying is from shallow waters, then cloudy eyes indicate this fish should have been cooked a few days ago.

Does the fish have red gills and perhaps red blood in the cavity? If yes, then the fish is fresh. When it comes to fish, red is the only color you want to see.

Brown gills, dried brown blood, yellow meat indicate age and lack of freshness. Also fish gills should be clean and clear of any mucous like substances.

Test the "bounce" of the fish by pushing down on it with your thumb. The flesh should pop back up and there should be no gaps between the layers of meat.

Some fish turn colors as it spoils and some start to acquire a slimy coating. Neither characteristic indicate freshness.

Bruised fish are fine to eat, but would not be called restaurant quality and indicate the fishermen were lax about storing the fish and might very well have been lax about keeping the fish iced.

When we have questions about the freshness of fish, we have to trust our own judgment.

Is this fish fresh? Our nose always knows.

Learn more about this author, Tierney O'Hara.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.