{"id":44044,"date":"2025-02-26T10:40:12","date_gmt":"2025-02-26T15:40:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/?p=44044"},"modified":"2025-03-04T16:41:28","modified_gmt":"2025-03-04T21:41:28","slug":"japanese-ike-jime-method-offers-humane-way-to-produce-high-quality-fish","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/dnr\/2025\/02\/26\/japanese-ike-jime-method-offers-humane-way-to-produce-high-quality-fish\/","title":{"rendered":"Japanese Ike Jime Method Offers Humane Way to Produce High-Quality Fish"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Chesapeake Bay Legacy Act would allow interested processors to use the technique in Maryland<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\"Andrew<\/a>

Andrew Tsui, founder and president of the Ike Jime Federation, and Maryland DNR Secretary Josh Kurtz display a trout processed with ike jime. Photo by Winn Brewer, Maryland DNR.<\/p><\/div>\n

A traditional Japanese method for processing fish may be expanding in Maryland.<\/span><\/p>\n

The technique, known as ike jime, results in a high-quality fish product and is considered the most humane way of processing fish.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWith traditional practices here in Maryland, I think that there’s an opportunity to really help this state punch way above its weight in producing world-class seafood,\u201d said Andrew Tsui, founder and president of the Ike Jime Federation, a national group that is based in Maryland. \u201cAnd that begins with ensuring that you limit the experience of stress in the fish.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Ike jime is practiced widely in Japan, where it was developed several centuries ago, and has been adopted around the world in recent years. The Chesapeake Bay Legacy Act<\/a>, which the Maryland General Assembly is considering this year and is supported by the Department of Natural Resources, includes a provision that closes a gray area in current Maryland law to allow interested commercial anglers and fish processors in the state to use ike jime. Currently, only recreational fishermen can use the process in the state on their own catch.<\/span><\/p>\n

The harvesting method is commercially permitted in other areas in the U.S., <\/span>such as Rhode Island<\/span><\/a>, where it\u2019s establishing <\/span>support among businesses<\/span><\/a> and consumers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Stu Meltzer, the owner of Fearless Fish Market in Providence, said selling ike jime fish has helped him build up a strong customer base, both for wholesale buyers and visitors to his storefront. \u201cThe difference is very apparent,\u201d Meltzer said of fish prepared with ike jime. \u201cMore than a few of our customers were like, \u2018This stuff is incredible.\u2019\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n