Seafood · 20 foods
Fish Storage Times
How long fish last on the counter, in the fridge and in the freezer — opened and unopened. Sourced from USDA FoodKeeper, last verified November 2026.
← All seafood · Shellfish · Smoked fish
20 of 20 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 |
 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 |
 Flounder | 2 hours | 1–2 days | — | 6–8 months | Yes |
 Haddock | 2 hours | 1–2 days | — | 6–8 months | Yes |
 Halibut | 2 hours | 1–2 days | — | 6–8 months | Yes |
 Imitation crab (surimi) | 2 hours | Use-by date | — | 9 months | Yes |
 Mackerel | 2 hours | 1–2 days | — | 2–3 months | Yes |
 Mullet | 2 hours | 1–2 days | — | 2–3 months | Yes |
 Ocean perch | 2 hours | 1–2 days | — | 4–8 months | Yes |
 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 |
 Sea trout | 2 hours | 1–2 days | — | 4–8 months | Yes |
 Sole | 2 hours | 1–2 days | — | 6–8 months | Yes |
 Tuna steaks | 2 hours | 1–2 days | — | 2–3 months | Yes |
Can you freeze… fish?
20 answers, A–Z
Does… go bad?
Signs of spoilage for every fish item
Left out overnight
The 2-hour rule for 20 perishable foods
Numbers on this page come from USDA FoodKeeper and FSIS guidance. Last verified November 2026. How we verify our data · Report a wrong number