Category · 45 foods

Seafood Storage Times

How long fish, shrimp, crab, lobster and smoked salmon last on the counter, in the fridge and in the freezer — opened and unopened. Sourced from USDA FoodKeeper, last verified November 2026.

Fish

45 of 45 foods · sorted A–Z

	Counter		Fridge (unopened)		Freezes well?
Bluefish	2 hours	1–2 days	—	2–3 months	Yes
Catfish	2 hours	1–2 days	—	2–3 months	Yes
Caviar	2 hours	2 days	1–4 weeks	Not recommended	No
Clams	2 hours	1–2 days	—	2–3 months	Yes
Cod	2 hours	1–2 days	—	6–8 months	Yes
Cod and lean white fish	2 hours	1–2 days	—	6–8 months	Yes
Cooked fish	2 hours	3–4 days	—	1–2 months	Yes
Cooked lobster tails	2 hours	2–3 days	—	2–4 weeks	Yes
Cooked shellfish	2 hours	3–4 days	—	1–3 months	Yes
Crab legs	2 hours	2–4 days	—	9–12 months	Yes
Crayfish	2 hours	1–3 days	—	6–18 months	Yes
Dungeness crab	2 hours	2–4 days	—	9–12 months	Yes
Flounder	2 hours	1–2 days	—	6–8 months	Yes
Fresh clams and mussels	2 hours	5–10 days	—	Not recommended	No
Fresh crab meat	2 hours	1–3 days	—	2–4 months	Yes
Frozen whole lobster	2 hours	1–2 days	—	2–4 weeks	Yes
Haddock	2 hours	1–2 days	—	6–8 months	Yes
Halibut	2 hours	1–2 days	—	6–8 months	Yes
Hot-smoked fish (air pack)	2 hours	14–45 days	—	9–12 months	Yes
Hot-smoked fish (vacuum pack)	2 hours	14–45 days	—	6–12 months	Yes
Imitation crab (surimi)	2 hours	Use-by date	—	9 months	Yes
King crab legs	2 hours	2–4 days	—	9–12 months	Yes
Live clams, mussels and oysters	2 hours	1–2 days	—	2–3 months	Yes
Live lobster	2 hours	1 day	—	Not recommended	No
Mackerel	2 hours	1–2 days	—	2–3 months	Yes
Mullet	2 hours	1–2 days	—	2–3 months	Yes
Mussels	2 hours	1–2 days	—	2–3 months	Yes
Ocean perch	2 hours	1–2 days	—	4–8 months	Yes
Oysters	2 hours	1–2 days	—	2–3 months	Yes
Pasteurized crab meat	2 hours	3–5 days	10–12 months	4–10 months	Yes
Pickled herring	2 hours	4–6 months	—	Not recommended	No
Pollock	2 hours	1–2 days	—	4–8 months	Yes
Pollock and rockfish	2 hours	1–2 days	—	4–8 months	Yes
Rockfish	2 hours	1–2 days	—	4–8 months	Yes
Salmon	2 hours	1–2 days	—	2–3 months	Yes
Scallops	2 hours	1–3 days	—	6–18 months	Yes
Sea trout	2 hours	1–2 days	—	4–8 months	Yes
Shrimp	2 hours	1–3 days	—	6–18 months	Yes
Shucked oysters, clams and mussels	2 hours	3–10 days	—	3–4 months	Yes
Smoked salmon	2 hours	21–30 days	—	9–12 months	Yes
Smoked salmon (air pack)	2 hours	14–30 days	—	9–12 months	Yes
Snow crab legs	2 hours	2–4 days	—	9–12 months	Yes
Sole	2 hours	1–2 days	—	6–8 months	Yes
Squid	2 hours	1–3 days	—	6–18 months	Yes
Tuna steaks	2 hours	1–2 days	—	2–3 months	Yes