Rigor

A few hours after a fish is harvested, it goes into a state called rigor, or fully, rigor mortis—all animals do. The process starts at the tail and moves upward, lasting for a few days. The length it stays in this state is a signal of handling practices (longer is better). Fish is best enjoyed just after the fish passes through rigor, so in essence it is an indicator of freshness. When we see a stiff fish at the market, we always grab it!