Transporting fish on airlines..

[Mulestalker]

I am leaving for the west cost soon, going to do a little fishing while there so hope to have some fillets to bring home!

So my question is, what are the procedures for packaging,labeling and if there is any weight restrictions in order for the airline (Westjet) to accept it?

I was told just buy a Styrofoam cooler there, some ice and a roll of duct tape but I know there are some seasoned sal****er fishermen on the board that have done this before so any help would be greatly appreciated!

[luckyme]

i never did it my self but some client that stay with us did exactly like you said,Styrofoam cooler,ice(some said they put in dry ice) and lots of duct tape.never recall seen any label on it though.

[blackpheasant]

We use fish boxes, they can be purchased at any sporting goods stores on the Island, I pick up the big ones they will hold approx. 50 lbs of fish, not sure how your set up but ours will be vacuum packed and frozen put in the fish box with no ice for the flight home, the boxes consist of styrofoam cooler with plastic insert the cooler slips into a wax box, always write your name, address and phone # on the box as there may be lots of fish heading eastward from the Island. We fly Westjet in and out of Comox they are very helpful, your allowed 2 bags at no charge anything extra is more $$ ie; 1-50 lb fish box will cost you an extra $50.00 etc.

[Sundancefisher]

i never did it my self but some client that stay with us did exactly like you said,Styrofoam cooler,ice(some said they put in dry ice) and lots of duct tape.never recall seen any label on it though.

Most airlines don't want dry ice...be careful. Make sure the fish is flash frozen and really cold. Also make sure it is liftable are you are lugging it around.

[iliketrout]

When I go home to NS for vacation I usually bring a box of frozen seafood back with me on Westjet. I wouldn't worry about ice as long as all the fish is frozen to start with and comes out of the freezer at the last moment (given that you're using a styrofoam cooler). I've never had any fish soften even a little after a 6 hour flight plus transport time given the outside temperature at cruising altitude.

One tip I would give you is that if you plan to buy a styrofoam cooler, make sure to put it in a cardboard box. If you can't find one to fit, make sure to protect the edges of the sytrofoam somehow, maybe with strips of cardboard duct-taped on. I've had some pretty mangled ones show up in Calgary and I'm sure they would have falled apart if it wasn't in a cardboard box.

[Elk Chaser]

I brought haddock back from NS after Christmas, frozen, wrapped in newspapers and then sealed in a plastic bag and tossed into the suitcase. Hard when it went into the suitcase and hard when it went into the freezer on this end.

[thumper]

I've brought frozen, whole ptarmigan back in my suitcase from Churchill, slipped them into women's stockings (to hold their feathers in place for taxidermy), wrapped in newspaper and then in a plastic bag, surrounded by clothing.
Must of looked strange going through the x-ray machine - but no questions asked. Were still frozen solid when I unpacked at home 12 hours later. (and my wife never even missed her pantyhose!)

[FishBrain]

Go to an aquarium store, and get one of their fish transport boxes, it is ia cardboard box with a styrofoam insert wrapped in plastic. Most give them for free.
If you cannot find one but can make it over to my house I will give you one. I have transported all kinds of things in it.
I am in Calgary

[Darren N]

If the catch is fresh I used to find a local restaraunt and ask them to freeze it for me ( buy a few pints with your meal ) wrapped tightly in plastic bags or whatever works best and slip it in your luggage. It works OK if your flight is not to long.

[maverick]

I have done this many times, if you are going from a lodge they will provide the airline approved boxes so no problem. If you are doing your own thing Westjet will only accept fish sealed in the wax fish box. You can't put any ice in with the fish. In both Vancover and Abbosford they will tilt the box on end and flip it over and if any liquid comes out they won't accept the fish. I usually ask when they are doing this test if we should expect a couple of barrel rolls on the flight home but they do the test anyway. Remember to go over to oversized luggage to find your fish since they won't put it in with the rest of the luggage.

[walking buffalo]

Good info here.

I always use an insulated wax fish box. Tape all seams to completely seal the box. This really helps with keeping the fish frozen for the longer trips.

[hustler]

Last time i was up we just hit the walmart in victoria before headding to the tip and got a bunch of $20 coolers... Make sure you bring a vacume sealer (costco is super cheap) and ice the crap out of them before you pack them up.....
That way they are real cold when you give them light ice packing them up for the plane...... Works every time for us.
300+ halibut, countless chinooks/pinks ect
then just tape them up well with tuck tape.
I think you are allowed 2 coolers per person with westjet before they charge for any more??? may have changed but our coolers were HEAVY and skated right through ;)

[MountainTi]

Last year with westjet, styrofoam coolers had to be in cardboard boxes. Head to a sporting good store and they should carry them. Tape the boxes afterwards and ABSOLUTELY no ice. I believe we marked on the outside the number and species of fish, can't remember if you need licence number or not.

[Calgaryguy1977]

I can answer this one professionally. No ice no liquid no dry ice. You can pack them in a leak proof box with no odor and keep them cold with something like a bag of frozen peas or something else out of your freezer that doesnt really contain any liquid. If you are checking it in then liquid isnt really an issue as long as its leak and smell proof. This is the same for most airlines.

[Tofinofish]

We use fish boxes, they can be purchased at any sporting goods stores on the Island, I pick up the big ones they will hold approx. 50 lbs of fish, not sure how your set up but ours will be vacuum packed and frozen put in the fish box with no ice for the flight home, the boxes consist of styrofoam cooler with plastic insert the cooler slips into a wax box, always write your name, address and phone # on the box as there may be lots of fish heading eastward from the Island. We fly Westjet in and out of Comox they are very helpful, your allowed 2 bags at no charge anything extra is more $$ ie; 1-50 lb fish box will cost you an extra $50.00 etc.

BP is pretty much bang on here.....
In our area, we have two local processors that offer this service so guests don't need to search for Coolers and outers, but we are in a small town without larger sporting/hardware stores. I don't need to stock in our shop with the processors ready to help our guests and others.
Remember, No Ice and needs to be frozen if possible.

J.

[gdbccb]

Here's another tip for any who aren't flying Westjet (where you get two bags free).

I booked my flight online with another airline for my west coast salmon trip last year and indicated I had no checked luggage (it was going to be tight time-wise to make my connection and I didn't want to have to wait for luggage). When I returned from a highly successful trip, I soon realized I now HAD checked luggage - two boxes of frozen fish. Suffice it to say, the cost of the fish went up about $5/lbs once I paid the extra cost for checked luggage. In hindsight, I should have indicated I had checked luggage when I booked online, even though I didn't, at least on the outbound trip.

[great white whaler]

plastic cooler, duct tape the **** out of it.

[lone wolf]

BP is pretty much bang on here.....
In our area, we have two local processors that offer this service so guests don't need to search for Coolers and outers, but we are in a small town without larger sporting/hardware stores. I don't need to stock in our shop with the processors ready to help our guests and others.
Remember, No Ice and needs to be frozen if possible.

J.

I always get mine processed, frozen, vacuum packed and boxed for travel. Standard weight/size limits will apply with the airlines, and you may have to pay extra depending on how successful the trip is :)

Another option you may want to consider is having some of the salmon canned and then shipped by bus when it is ready. We have always utilized St. Jeans Cannery and they do an awesome job with the fish. Makes great gifts for friends/family, although once you try it you will be reluctant to part with it.