A trimming system for fish which is placed with belly sides on opposite sides of a supporting structure. A force supplying means applies opposite forces onto the belly sides towards the supporting structure. A profile measuring means determines the profile of the belly sides, and a cutting means trims the belly sides. Opposite forces are supplied by the force supplying means while the belly sides are measured by the profile measuring means, and the opposite forces are supplied while the belly sides are simultaneously trimmed.

Methods and systems for processing fish are provided which enable cutting of the fish and removal of the viscera without damage to either the viscera or the remaining fish product. The systems may include an adjustable cutting device to cut the belly in a particularly unobtrusive manner and/or an adjustable gutting device to severe a gullet of the fish from the fish body and to gather and remove the viscera without significant damage to the viscera or the remaining fish product. Extractors for severing the connection between the gullet and the fish are also provided to assist in removal of the viscera, including the gonads. Vacuum head assemblies for cleaning a cavity of the fish after the viscera is removed are also provided.

A method of mitigating the environmental impact of invasive fish in rivers and lakes is provided. The method comprising recruiting overfishing of a species of fish harvested from one or more rivers or lakes in which the species of fish is invasive, obtaining fish bones from the harvested fish, producing a sorbent from the fish bones by drying and milling the fish bones into sorbent particles having a metal sorption capacity effective for treating a metal contaminated material, and treating metal contaminated material with an effective amount of the sorbent to form immobilized reaction products of the metal contaminated material and the sorbent.

Methods and systems for processing fish are provided which enable the efficient conveyance of fish products from one fish processing subsystem or station to another in a particularly reliable and robust form factor. The systems may include a first fish processing subsystem configured to process fish with the fish orientated in a first orientation; a second fish processing subsystem configured to process the fish with the fish orientated in a second orientation different from the first orientation; and a conveyor system that couples the first fish processing subsystem to the second fish processing subsystem with the conveyor system being configured to receive the fish in the first orientation and deliver the fish in the second orientation. Related methods of conveying and processing fish are also provided.

Disclosed is a fish processing machine (1) including a mouth access providing instrument (2) enabling that a fish (3) can be processed through the mouth (4) of the fish (3). The mouth access providing instrument (2) includes a mouth penetrating instrument (5) for penetrating the mouth (4) of the fish (3) and a displacement instrument (6) for displacing the mouth penetrating instrument (5) or the fish (3) in relation to each other to place the mouth penetrating instrument (5) in the mouth (4) of the fish (3). The mouth access providing instrument (2) also includes a sensor (7) for detecting the location of the mouth (4) of the fish (3) and an adjustment instrument (8) for adjusting the position of the mouth penetrating instrument (5) or the fish (3) in relation to output from the sensor (7). A method for enabling that fish (3) can be processed through the mouth (4) is also disclosed.

An improved apparatus for processing sea cucumbers having stages for orienting/aligning, cutting, splitting, flattening, eviscerating and cleaning the sea cucumber, and for collecting the eviscerated innards. A method for the automated splitting and evisceration of sea cucumbers using the apparatus of the present disclosure. A flattening plate and trough during the orienting/aligning step relax the sea cucumber and discourage its defence mechanisms. A wedge shaped flattening plate splits and flattens the sea cucumber immediately after the incision. Pronged discs maintain positioning of the sea cucumber during an aggressive wash and brush cleaning cycle, which may be repeated. Optionally, a vacuum may suction off a portion of the innards prior to cleaning.

A method of mitigating the environmental impact of invasive fish in rivers and lakes is provided. The method comprising recruiting overfishing of a species of fish harvested from one or more rivers or lakes in which the species of fish is invasive, obtaining fish bones from the harvested fish, producing a sorbent from the fish bones by drying and milling the fish bones into sorbent particles having a metal sorption capacity effective for treating a metal contaminated material, and treating metal contaminated material with an effective amount of the sorbent to form immobilized reaction products of the metal contaminated material and the sorbent.

An improved apparatus for processing sea cucumbers having stages for orienting/aligning, cutting, splitting, flattening, eviscerating and cleaning the sea cucumber, and for collecting the eviscerated innards. A method for the automated splitting and evisceration of sea cucumbers using the apparatus of the present disclosure. A flattening plate and trough during the orienting/aligning step relax the sea cucumber and discourage its defence mechanisms. A wedge shaped flattening plate splits and flattens the sea cucumber immediately after the incision. Pronged discs maintain positioning of the sea cucumber during an aggressive wash and brush cleaning cycle, which may be repeated. Optionally, a vacuum may suction off a portion of the innards prior to cleaning.

A method and an apparatus for bringing fish to an under-cooled state by a sub-chilling process before processing, which prolongs rigor and allows processing of the fish in rigor providing better quality fish products.