It is important to keep fish as cold as possible especially during fabrication because it keeps the flesh firm and yields smooth, clean cuts. In a hot kitchen fish will warm up quickly causing the quality to deteriorate and the flesh to become soft and loose.
Holding fish on ice will prolong its shelf life too. Replenish ice as often as needed and always drain excess water from accumulating in the storage pan. Keeping the fish iced will provide a continuous rinsing action that minimizes odors and maximizes shelf life up to one week.
Frozen fish accounts for more volume of fish eaten today than fresh. The advantage of frozen fish is its convenience in holding and storage. The down-side to freezing fish, and most foods in general, is that during the process it causes water to expand and turn into crystals that burst the tissues of the fish. Once thawed, moisture is released from the fish softening the texture and drying it out. Thawed fish should never be refrozen because the texture will continue to deteriorate from subsequent freezing and thawing cycles. Rapid flash freezing under extremely cold temperatures results in smaller crystals and therefore less moisture purge when thawed. Previously frozen fish when thawed retains a “slacked out” quality that gives it a soft and wrinkled appearance.
Fabricating whole fish should be viewed from a quality control perspective that’s fits with the philosophy of the establishment. It may not save the operation money if the kitchen crew lacks the expertise to process fish efficiently or if the the trim and bones aren't re-purposed for other preparations. Fish bones for example can be converted into fish stock, trimmings can be used for forcemeats, sausages, tartare, kabobs, stews and soups. Every attempt should be made to find creative ways to use the various parts because the price the restaurant pays for the fish is the same whether it’s served to the guest or is thrown in the trash.