GCC demand for fresh fish products is expected to grow approximately 8% per annum up to 2030, reported the organisers of Seafex 2015. And according to a report by the United Nations’ Food and Agricultural Organisation, per capita fish consumption across the GCC is estimated at 10kg per year. Courtesy of its high disposable income and strong, high-end year-round tourism, the UAE leads regional per capita consumption rankings at 24kg per year — 5kg higher than the global average

In light of the growing demand in the regional market, we explore the operational concerns, challenges, and triumphs surrounding seafood and fish.

What precautions are required when handling seafood?

Seafood doesn’t like cross-contamination. For establishments serving it, this results in stringent procedures with a number of precautions. Seafood lines are separated out from other ingredients, and many establishments run separate facilities in the same kitchen to handle marine products. “In our hotel seafood is quite categorically controlled and kept completely separate from the rest of the products in our kitchen,” says Meliá Doha’s Cedro.

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Commercial seafood operations need to be well prepared and equipped. “You’d need a proper kitchen setup with a dedicated seafood station for the maintenance of hygiene. Then you’d want procedures where you can maintain freshness through scheduled daily deliveries. This manages the challenge of ordering, maintaining and serving fresh stock without interruption,” says co-founder and managing partner of Bertin Bistro and Restaurant Walid Saarti.

Seafood also requires caution in handling. Separate facilities are helpful but not enough in themselves. “You must treat the product with care and respect the ingredients. We are lucky to have a kitchen with a separate seafood production area, so that no risks are taken,” Crab Tavern’s Owen says.

It’s not just the handling that’s tricky. Seafood also calls for specific forms of disposal. One doesn’t just to chuck rogue lobster claws, meandering molluscs or capricious clams down the chute. “You actually need hygienic electronic grinders to properly process and dispose of all seafood waste,” says Saarti.

How long can seafood be stored?

Seafood has perhaps the tightest deadlines of any ingredient available, and a tightly controlled temperature range. When it comes to fresh seafood, there is very little time between sourcing and serving. “Obviously, the deadline for serving seafood is very short, and we take absolutely no risk. Seafood is either directly consumed, or has its lifespan elongated as part of kitchen stock or bisque. Alternatively, we have no hesitation in withdrawing seafood ingredients completely if we feel they’ve been there just a bit too long,” Cedro says.

The short window of opportunity means ingredients should be at their freshest when first sourced. Banyan Tree Al Wadi’s Wardhana offers some handy tips for selecting from the daily catch. “Incredibly fresh fish have eyes that are still clear and popping up. The body is still slimy, the meat is firm and the gills dark.”

Excessive storage time degrades taste. But Cedro says that savouriness considerations aside, it can be downright dangerous to consume seafood that is not in optimum condition.

There is little margin for errors or imprecise planning. Small wonder then that establishments are resorting to innovation that extends the storage life without losing any of the taste. At Dubai’s Crab Tavern, for instance, Owen reveals: “We have a new seafood supplier, who uses magnetism to freeze the products. It’s a brand new process that stops ice crystals from forming and damaging the protein in the fish. That means it tastes as fresh as when it was caught.”