Methods and systems for processing fish, such as salmon, are provided which enable filleting of the fish in a particular efficient manner. An example method includes exposing a backbone of a fish from a belly side of the fish, positioning the backbone of the fish on a conveyor device, and conveying the fish with the backbone in contact with the conveyor device. The conveyor may be a spiked chain, and positioning the backbone of the fish on the conveyor device may include engaging the backbone of the fish with the spiked chain such that the fish straddles the spiked chain as the fish is transported. The method may further include cutting the fish from the dorsal side on each of opposing sides of a central plane of the fish to a location adjacent a connection of the pinbones of the fish with the vertebrae of the fish while the fish is conveyed with the backbone in contact with the conveyor device, and subsequently peeling the ribs and ventral spines from fillets of the fish.

A machine for removing a dorsal fin of a fish, and includes: a conveying system configured to convey a sequence of fish in a downstream direction while each fish of the sequence of fish is oriented with right and left sides of the fish on opposite sides of a vertical centre plane, cutter tool, and at least one mechanical height control for controlling a height of the cutting tool relative to the conveying system. The mechanical height control comprising a frame carrying at least the first cutting tool and a ski attached to the frame. When the cutting tool reaches the fin to be removed, the frame is movable by a motion control between an upper and a lower position relative to the ski. This movement is based on a signal representing a position of a fish in the sequence of fish relative to the cutting tool.

The invention relates to a method for mechanically recovering flesh from fish, in which by introducing incisions, the dorsal bones and the ventrally directed bones are cut free from the laterally located fillets without separating the pin bones from the spine and the separating gaps formed by the incisions are then expanded, thereby moving the lateral fillets away from the spine of the fish in the lateral direction transverse to the dorsal bones, wherein the fillets are peeled away from the pin bones extending laterally out from the spine or the flank bones, and a corresponding apparatus for mechanically recovering the flesh of fish.

Methods and systems for processing fish, such as salmon, are provided which enable filleting of the fish in a particular efficient manner. An example method includes exposing a backbone of a fish from a belly side of the fish, positioning the backbone of the fish on a conveyor device, and conveying the fish with the backbone in contact with the conveyor device. The conveyor may be a spiked chain, and positioning the backbone of the fish on the conveyor device may include engaging the backbone of the fish with the spiked chain such that the fish straddles the spiked chain as the fish is transported. The method may further include cutting the fish from the dorsal side on each of opposing sides of a central plane of the fish to a location adjacent a connection of the pinbones of the fish with the vertebrae of the fish while the fish is conveyed with the backbone in contact with the conveyor device, and subsequently peeling the ribs and ventral spines from fillets of the fish.

The invention relates to a method for mechanically recovering flesh from fish, in which by introducing incisions, the dorsal bones and the ventrally directed bones are cut free from the laterally located fillets without separating the pin bones from the spine and the separating gaps formed by the incisions are then expanded, thereby moving the lateral fillets away from the spine of the fish in the lateral direction transverse to the dorsal bones, wherein the fillets are peeled away from the pin bones extending laterally out from the spine or the flank bones, and a corresponding apparatus for mechanically recovering the flesh of fish.