How long can a fish be dead before you cook it?

Answer 1

The reality is that the fish doesn't need to be dead before it is cooked, though most people don't/can't keep the fish alive for the time it takes to get it to the kitchen. The act of cleaning the fish kills it anyway.

When concerned with how long one can store fish before cooking, there are no hard-and-fast rules. That will be dependent upon the condition of the fish when caught, the handling after the catch, packaging and how it is stored by the consumer. If the fish is kept clean and cold, it may still be usable in 3-5 days. If frozen, it could keep anywhere from 2 to 9 months. See Related Links.