The best naturally
New Zealand Inshore Longline Fishing Company.
Artisan harvesters doing it right, because it's the right thing to do.
FROM HOOK TO PLATE
Precision and care is taken throughout the whole hook-to-plate process.
From baiting the hooks, setting then hauling the gear, handling the fish individually for iki-jime, placing in slurry's, establising the cold chain, packing and transporting to the wharf for collection by Leigh Fisheries. All handling techniques are maintained to the highest standard to ensure a premium product, Wild Fish continues to remain the best...naturally.
Baiting Hooks
Specially designed circle hooks are hand tied and individually baited with pilchard, squid or barracoutta
Setting Gear
Backbone (nylon) is slowly set out on the seafloor with the baited hooks, clipped at 1-2 metre intervals
Hauling the Gear
After the entire line is laid, the skipper and crew return to the start of the line and start hauling, bringing the fish in one at a time
Ice Slurry
After being dispatched via iki-jime the fish are put into a bath of ice and salt water - a slurry. Which immediately starts the cold chain process
Packing
Once the fish's core temperature reaches 0°C they are packed into bins, belly down on ice. This acts like a mini refrigerator and keeps the fish cold
Unloading
The boats then steam in to the closest port to meet refrigerated trucks which take the bins of fish to Leigh Fisheries ready for grading
Grading
The fish are then individually taken out of their bins in the factory and hand graded for quality (size, colour, condition) and its market destination chosen
Travel
Once packed the fish return to the refrigerated trucks and sent to their desired destination - NZ, Australia, USA, Europe or Asia
IKI JIME
'Iki-jime' is a method of humainley killing fish, which originated in Japan. It involves spiking the fish directly in the brain, usually behind and above the eye causing instant death.This process retracts the blood from the flesh and draws it to the gut cavity, resulting in a much cleaner looking and tasting fillet. It also in quality. leads to a significant increase.
After iki-jime, the fish enter a sate of rigor mortis - a stiffening of the muscles, which helps greatly extend it's shelf life, inturn reaching the customer in that 'just-caught' condition.
You can easily distinguish longline caught fish from other harvested fish by the small iki spike lesion above the eye.
Wild Fish (NZ) Ltd are dedicated in supporting the ongoing successes of all their shore and sea based crew, Offering a fantastic career pathway for those interetsed in the Seafood Industry.
.jpg)
Dave Moore
Managing Director
Darrin Fabricius
Operations Manager
.jpg)
Shanna Hodder
HR/Business Manager
People are essential to a strong team. The safety and mental well being of all our team is of highest importance to us. Ensuring all shore-based and sea crew, including their families, have ongoing support at home and at work is critical to maintaining a smooth operation. We pride ourselves not only on supplying the best quality fish but also on our strong family values and family ethos. If you are part of the Wild Fish team, whether it be at sea or onshore, you are part of our whanau.
If you're interested in being part of our team, please send us a message.
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
