How to Buy Fresh Fish: A Shopper's Checklist

Fresh fish should smell like the ocean, not like fish. Everything else — the eyes, the gills, the flesh — tells you how long it's been out of the water.

Whole fish: the four-point check

  1. Eyes: clear, bright, slightly bulging. Sunken and cloudy = old.
  2. Gills: bright red or pink, wet, not slimy. Brown or grey = days old.
  3. Smell: clean, briny, oceanic. Ammonia or "fishy" smell = pass.
  4. Skin & scales: shiny, tight to the body, natural slime coat. Dull or dry = stale.

Fillets: what to look for

  • Flesh: translucent and firm, not opaque or milky.
  • Press test: the fish should spring back. If your fingerprint stays, walk away.
  • Liquid in the tray: a little clear liquid is fine; pooled white or bloody liquid means old fish.
  • Edges: clean, not gapped. Gaping muscle segments = the fish was frozen poorly or is aging out.

"Fresh" vs. "previously frozen"

Most "fresh" fish at supermarket counters is actually previously frozen— flash-frozen at sea, thawed at the store. That's often better than never-frozen fish trucked across the country over four days. If a store hides that fact, ask.

Fish flash-frozen at sea and thawed properly is essentially indistinguishable from truly fresh.

Species-specific tips

  • Salmon: vibrant color (natural for the species), white fat lines evenly spaced, no browning at the edges.
  • Tuna: deep ruby-red with no rainbow sheen. Brown spots mean oxidation.
  • Cod & halibut: pure white to pearly, no yellowing. Firm bounce-back is critical.
  • Shrimp: firm shells, no black spots on the shell (melanosis), no ammonia smell.
  • Scallops: ivory or pale pink, dry-looking. Bright white and wet means they've been soaked in phosphates — they'll steam instead of sear.

Storage after you buy

  • Get it home cold — ask for ice if the drive is more than 20 minutes.
  • Cook within 1–2 days; store on ice in the coldest part of the fridge.
  • To freeze, wrap tightly, remove air, use within 3 months for oily fish and 6 for lean.

Sustainability quick-reference

Check Seafood Watch before shopping. Good default picks: US-caught Alaskan salmon, US farmed trout, Pacific cod, Atlantic mackerel. Avoid: bluefin tuna, orange roughy, imported shrimp from unregulated fisheries.

Once you're home with your catch, use our cooking temperatures guide to nail doneness on every species.