Transportation of Fish in Bags

Abstract

Fish, shellfish, and plants often are transported in sealed plastic bags containing small quantities of water and pure oxygen. Bag shipment requires placing a prescribed weight of fish in 1.5 to 2 gallons of water in 3 milliliters polyethylene bags, 18 by 32 inches. Excess air is removed from the bag and replaced with pure oxygen. The bag is sealed, placed in an insulated container and finally into a cardboard shipping box and shipped. Bag shipment may be the best choice for the shipper for several reasons. First, very small fish and fry could be damaged by being shipped in large tanks. Second, due to the extreme distances involved, bag shipment may offer economic advantages over standard tank transportation. This fact sheet will focus on transport of fish. With minor modifications the techniques and principals discussed also apply to shellfish.