Apparatus and method for cutting free the flank bones of beheaded, slaughtered fish

An apparatus configured and adapted to cut free flank bones of beheaded, slaughtered fish which may have opened abdominal cavities and which are transported tail-first in a transport direction T with their backbone resting on transport saddles, the apparatus comprising:

• an upper bone guide which is configured and adapted to guide the backbone from a dorsal side of the fish to be processed;
• a lower bone guide which is configured and adapted to guide ventral spokes of the fish to be processed, which spokes are formed in a region from a tail to the abdominal cavity;
• and
• a separating unit for detaching fish fillets from the flank bones surrounding the abdominal cavity of the fish to be processed, wherein the separating unit comprises a separating means having a corresponding counter unit and can be brought from a standby position into a working position and vice versa;
• and
• a detaching device located in a region of the upper bone guide and configured and adapted to at least loosen a bone connection between the flank bones and the backbone of at least some of the flank bones.