How to tell if fish you buy is fresh

I always get my fish from one of our stores, but that doesn't mean that I don't go into grocery stores on a regular basis and check out their fish counter. Here are some tips for picking out good, fresh

De-boned fresh Scottish salmon fillets
with a nice fresh shine.

fish, using your eyes and your nose:
1) Notice as you approach the fish department how close you can get before you smell the seafood. Fresh fish smells like the sea, sort of like being at the beach. If there's a strong fish odor 10 or 20 feet before you get to the fish counter, probably not a good place to buy your fish.
2) Look at how the fish is displayed - is it laying right on the ice? How high is is it piled up? Putting fillets of fish right on the ice can suck the juices right out of the fish. (Whole fish is OK on the ice). We use stainless pans embedded in the ice. When fillets are piled up too high, the fish at the top of the pile are not being kept cold enough, and it will go off quickly.
3) Look at the flesh of the fillets - does the flesh have noticeable gaps in it? Does it have a nice sheen, or is is it dull? For things like tuna, do they have a loin from which they will custom cut some steaks for you, or is it already cut up?
4) Read the small print - fish that has been "thawed for your convenience" is a bad idea. There's nothing wrong with buying frozen fish, but once it's thawed, it deteriorates much more quickly than fresh fish. If you have a choice, buy the fish that's still frozen, thaw it overnight in the coldest part of your fridge, and cook it as soon as it's thawed. Thawed out fish that's been put into a fresh case is there to fool you into thinking it's fresh. If it's been there more than a day, it's no longer worth buying, no matter how cheap it is.
5) Fish and shellfish that are kept wrapped in your home fridge can accumulate gasses in the wrapping. We recommend cooking fish the same night you buy it, or storing it in the coldest (bottom) part of the fridge and rinsing with cold water before cooking. Things like cooked shrimp should be refrigerated in a covered bowl in the fridge if you're keeping them overnight, and also rinsed in cold water before serving.
     Truly fresh fish is a real treat - we're lucky in Chicago, because as a hub, planes come in constantly from all coasts and overseas, bringing fresh product from many oceans. We also have the bounty of the Great Lakes - there's nothing better than fresh lake perch floured, sauteed and served with Burhop's Tartar Sauce.
     Use your senses to choose your fish - and if you suspect it isn't fresh, don't buy it.