Ikejime (活け締め) Ikejime (活け締め) is a method of killing a fish while preserving the quality of the fish meat. Therefore, ikejime is a fish-killing technique used in Japanese fisheries for over a thousand years. Fish are caught with a hook and a sharp iron rod is inserted into the brain in the head to instantly kill the fish. A sharp wire is then inserted into the spinal cord through the tail fin to depress the nervous system, preventing the fish from struggling, which can reduce the quality of the meat. Next, the fish's blood is drained through the gills, where the arteries have been severed, and it is quickly refrigerated to prevent bacterial growth. This process must be pe rformed by experienced and skilled fishers who understand the fish's anatomy to avoid mistakes that could cause distress to the fish and degrade the quality of the fish meat. Ikejime and Fish-Blood Draining To preserve fish meat quality, the fish must be prepared gently, preventing excessive struggling or su...
