Advise from the USDA For Boaters

If you are a new boater and are planning to fish, this information will come in handy.


Seafood
If you are planning to fish, check with your fish and game agency or state health department to see where you can fish safely, then follow these guidelines:

Finfish:
· Scale, gut, and clean fish as soon as they’re caught.
· Live fish can be kept on stringers or in live wells, as long as they have enough water and enough room to move and breathe.
· Wrap fish, both whole and cleaned, in watertight plastic and store on ice.
· Keep 3 to 4 inches of ice on the bottom of the cooler. Alternate layers of fish and ice.
· Store the cooler out of the sun and cover with a blanket.
· Once home, eat fresh fish within 1 to 2 days or freeze them. For top quality, use frozen fish within 3 to 6 months.

Shellfish:
· Crabs, lobsters, and other shellfish must be kept alive until cooked.
· Store in live wells or out of water in a bushel or laundry basket under wet burlap or seaweed.
· Crabs and lobsters are best eaten the day they’re caught.
· Live oysters should be cooked within 7 to 10 days.
· Live mussels and clams should be cooked within 4 to 5 days.
· Eating raw shellfish is extremely dangerous. People with liver disorders or weakened immune systems are especially at risk.

Cleanup
Cleanup on the boat is similar to cleanup in the wild. Bring disposable wipes for hand washing, and bag up all your trash to dispose of when you return to shore.

General Rules for Outdoor Food Safety
Plan ahead: decide what you are going to eat and how you are going to cook it; then plan what equipment you will need.
· Pack safely: use a cooler if car-camping or boating, or pack foods in the frozen state with a cold source if hiking or backpacking.
· Keep raw foods separate from other foods.
· Never bring meat or poultry products without a cold source to keep them safe.
· Bring disposable wipes or biodegradable soap for hand- and dishwashing.
· Plan on carrying bottled water for drinking. Otherwise, boil water or use water purification tablets.
· Do not leave trash in the wild or throw it off your boat.
· If using a cooler, leftover food is safe only if the cooler still has ice in it. Otherwise, discard leftover food.
· Whether in the wild or on the high seas, protect yourself and your family by washing your hands before and