Fish processing systems and methods

A method of operation of a fish processing system to remove the pelvic and/or anal fins of a fish, the method comprising:

• transporting the fish in a headless configuration into engagement with a belly guide member located between opposing round knives that are oriented to cut generally perpendicular to a central plane of the fish;
• and
• passing the fish over the belly guide member while the opposing round belly knives sever a narrow section of the belly of the fish to remove the pelvic and/or anal fins of the fish.

A method of operation of a fish processing system to split the tail of a fish, the method comprising:

• transporting the fish belly down in a headless configuration into engagement with a splitter knife arrangement with the assistance of a moveable backbone support device;
• and
• passing the fish over the splitter knife arrangement to separate the muscle tissue and ribs through the length of the fish and to split the tail of the fish.

A method of operation of a fish processing system, the method comprising:

• bringing peeling members located on opposing sides of a central plane of the fish into contact with the ribs and ventral spines of the fish;
• and
• peeling the ribs and ventral spines from fillets of the fish with the assistance of the peeling members.

A method of operation of a fish processing system, the method comprising:

• removing pinbones from fillets of the fish during filleting of the fish, without aging of the fish, by leaving the pinbones attached to the backbone and peeling the pinbones out of the fillets together with the backbone.