Maigret

I'm not expecting a deluge of responses to this (apart from a disappointingly predictable series of pescine puns ).

I'm doing my annual fishing trip to Alaska again next year. In previous years I've just released all (!?!) the fish I caught. I have however noticed our transatlantic cousins assiduously take large freezer boxes back home with them, stocked with Alaska's finest salmon, cleaned and vacuum sealed. There's even a freezer facility at ANC where you can store them overnight to assist with this process.

In mentioning this to the outfitter at the lodge, he claimed that Europeans do it all the time and it's not a problem as the boxes contain gel ice and are good for 36 hours before the fish becomes 'an issue'. I've checked with UK Border Agency (eventually) and they say up to 20Kg per person (or the weight of one fish if higher - yeah right!) of cleaned fish is OK. but I should check with my airline......

I took the FTers standard advice and phoned customer services. Three times. The reponses

• not a problem as long as it's secure(?)
• no as the food is perishable and the gel ice is a hazardous liquid
• the surreal - ask at the checkin in SEA (if they say no? 40lbs of frozen salmon anyone?)

My questions

1. Has anybody ever done this, or been prevented from doing this, by BA? (Alaska Airlines are, pardon the pun, chilled about it)
2. is it really practical or will I end up with a box full of rotten fishy mush?

Thanks for your help

Swanhunter

It is perfectly possible. Gel ice is an cargo industry standard way of transport temperature sensitive products around the world e.g. pharmaceuticals. Judt get guidance locally on how much to use based on others successful transportation. Customer service won't know much about gel ice hence the confusion answer. Cargo can also go in temp controlled holds in the plane but that option isn't available for checked luggage

TBH check in won't ask what's in the box and as none of the items are dangerous there is no requirement for you to declare it, they'll just want to see it is well packed and will survive the transit. You might ask for fragile tags to reduce the pounding it will receive.

I have some experience with this on the cargo side so PM if you want any more help.

stewaran

you could ask at the check-in counter when you land at SEA, as it will most likely be open for the return that day. they may have some tips or requirements for you.

HIDDY

Good thread.

I reckon I would need at least 24 hours from freezer in the UK to freezer here just to be on the safe side so these gel ice packs sound as if they might do the trick. ^

shorthauldad

Fragile tags mean that an item should be treated gently? Really?

philco

So where's all the pesky puns you promised we'd see? I looked and found nothing remotely bad enough to post here so, for absolutely no good reason other than its aviation theme, offer this instead:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_qFAH2SWZs

...think i saw it on flyertalk a while back.

Maigret

Thanks all

Swanhunter - The nice lady at Alaska said their restriction was 5lbs per box, but then said they never check anyway!

SHD- I'm reminded of a Mad magazine article where they concluded that 'fragile' was in fact Swahili for 'unbreakable'

travelmad478

When I went to AK I sent my (frozen, vacuum-packed) catch of fish home to the East Coast by FedEx. It took more than 24 hours to arrive, but the fish was still pretty frozen when it reached me, and there were no gel ice packs. So I think you will be fine.

The amusing part of this was that I was fishing in AK with a friend who lives in the UK. She also looked up the customs issues of bringing her 20 lbs of halibut into the UK and determined that it wasn't going to be allowed. So I ended up with her fish as well as mine. We ate off that for a year, and it was great!

Maigret

Thanks
I do have some sympathy for your friend. The info on the website is vague and in parts clearly contradictory, but a nice lady at the helpline checked with her supervisor and 20KG of fish is allowed. Just got to catch the flipping things now!

If I can get the flights I may go to Kodiak for some seafishing and halibut does appeal - how much would 44lb of halibut cost in the UK?

travelmad478

I won't breathe a word to my friend. 40 lbs of halibut in the US would cost at least $800.

We did go to Kodiak and stayed/fished at Zachar Bay Lodge. Great experience, although the accommodations are basic, to say the least. I think all in that bit of holiday was the most expensive three days, two nights I have ever spent, but maybe if you subtract $800 in fish value...

Jenbel

It's unlikely to happen, but make sure whatever species you are importing does not end up on CITES list.

I had to send some avian blood (frozen, in gel packs) by courier to the US, and it was returned because some kind country had added their entire bird list - which included this species - a common cage bird in the UK - onto the Cites list, so blood products could only be exported with a CITES export certificate. Lacking this, US customs kindly (and unfortunately quite properly) sent it back

Trying to get a CITES export certificate for a species which is a common cage bird in the UK was yet more fun - I eventually had to offer to take pictures of the birds to show that they were not wild caught as they were yellow and white, and wild caught birds were green....

zanskar

I think I can help you here.

I also went to Alaska earlier this year with my father and we kept 20kg of fish each which we had filleted, vacuum packed and frozen (we subsequently stored them in the freezer facility at ANC and then at SEA airports).

The staff at the storage facility in SEA told me that airlines would only accept the fish if they were sealed in waxed boxes, however, when I asked at BA check in they told me that as long as it didn't leak and was securely packed (we used insulated fabric zip up freezer bags) it was fine. They were extremely helpful. I can also confirm that you have a 20kg allowance per person from the point of view of UK customs.

The fish arrived from seattle still frozen and we have been enjoying delicious salmon, halibut and rockfish since. Well worth the hassle of doing!

NeverFirst

And if anyone needs a third opinion, this link has the fish information on page 6;

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/si...nging-food.pdf

Of course, tryst doesn't guarantee the airline will accept it for transport, so make sure it's wrapped and packed nicely as mentioned up-thread.

kileysmom

Hi, okay, we consider these fish subsistence living! Aren't we lucky?

Anyway, you can get waxed boxes at several places here in Anchorage including a couple of supermarkets. The gel packs will remain very cold if not still icy for 24 hours - I have to use them for meds.

DO NOT send the fish as cargo! Some friends in Switzerland had their fish held up by customs when they shipped it as cargo and, of course, no one at customs put it in a freezer so it thawed while it sat there for about a week. All ruined! I suppose if you can go immediately upon landing to the cargo offices and the customs house to retrieve your box it might be okay but it's much easier to just take it as checked baggage. That brings back funny memories of going to the customs house at Gatwick to collect my son's pet turtle when she came from Atlanta many years ago...........

Don't forget to get a roll of duct tape to seal your box and to not put in any item that's metal or could attract a search of the box if they xray it. I will also say that there have been stories the last couple of years of boxes of fish somehow just not making it to their final destination - someone in baggage getting a nice dinner maybe? Obviously put your name and address inside and outside the box as well as some way to attach the baggage tag.

Hope it all works out! Now let me see what's handy in the freezer for dinner...halibut or Copper River red or a nice silver or.......I'll be quiet now.

Fruitcake

And it's a fish.