See also   Edible Berries and fruits  Non Edible Berries   Poisonous Berries and fruits   Food Sources   Meat   Plants as food  Edible Plants  "How to Make A Crawdad trap "
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Food gathering

Meat
To see our section on vegetative food sources click here

Animals

For the protein content that your body needs for muscle maintenance and development you need protein. Now you can get some of that from nuts and legumes (beans), but not all of us are vegetarians.  Catching animals for food is skill that should be understood before it is necessary to use. In a camping or survival  situation you may have to resort to primitive methods. 

*** Just a note: In a true survival situation it is acceptable to do what is necessary to survive. No, we are not talking about eating each other but rather  where you would normally need a hunting license, it would not likely be required in a life or death survival case and even if you did get some flack about it at least you would be alive to hear it.***

Types of animals:

Almost any animal is edible providing you are not of a religious persuasion that would prohibit it, but even then it may be hard to pass up the potential to live. (for Christians: That which is blessed is clean)  A few animals have certain parts in them where toxins and such are stored or processed for excrement and those particular parts should be avoided or you risk poisoning yourself. Eating them may not be deadly but at least vile enough to make you ill and debilitated your for several days. 

  Basic rule of thumb is if the animal eats flesh or scavenges (such as a land crab, or a coyote)  you do not eat the filtering portions of the innards such as the liver, gall, kidneys  or other questionable organs. See preparations You would naturally never eat venom sacks  on poisonous snakes, scorpions and the likes but the rest of the critter may be fair game. Also remember to be careful of their delivering devises such as fangs and pincers.

During a survival situation all animals are fair game, but some are going to be much harder to obtain than others. Because of the enormity of the  list of animal species we will not attempt to delve into the methods or the benefits of each type or even species. Take what you learn from this and apply it to similar situations. Remember that some creatures no matter how docile you may think they are, will turn on you and seriously maim you or even cause life threatening wounds when they are  threatened. Case in point. A deer - a cute deer- can rip open your midriff with a  swift kick of it's hooves. This from either in a  forward motion with their front hooves or backward with the hind hooves, and don't forget about the horns.

Large game: Deer - Elk - Moose May be too large for many to consider just because of the amount of meat that would likely go to waste. Remember if you go after large game  then you must be planning in settling in and make plans for preserving the meat. See our Cooking in a survival or primitive situation.  However if you have the will, then there are the ways. 

*****We need to interject the dangers of having food on or near you persons when in the wild and urge you to read the section on "Bears and other Dangerous Animals"  in our wilderness camping section.*****

Slow moving critters: 
Insects, grubs, Clams, Oysters - Snails- Sea urchins - Conch - Lobster - Crawdads - turtles or tortoises - 

Insects: Yeah I know they don't sound good but read on.

Insects are about 65 to 80 percent protein.  Avoid any that sting or bite, or that have bristly hairs. Brightly colored insects, and caterpillars are usually colored to warn off predator, which we are when we are hungry enough.  Insect larvae  (grubs) are also edible and slow moving (easy to catch). Also avoid spiders and common disease carriers such as ticks, flies, and mosquitoes.

Look under or inside of rotting logs. Beetles and grasshoppers should be cooked because they may have parasites. When eating ants kill them first by pinch their head or removing it entirely as this improves the flavor.

Worms

Earth Worms  are an excellent protein source. Dig for them in damp humus soil or watch for them on the ground after a rain. Let them soak in water until they are pale in color. This way they will have gotten the soil out of their system and you won't have to be eating dirt, they taste better this way. Worms can be eaten raw or cooked and mashed into a paste to spread on some vegetable matter. Kind of like worm pate. 

Crustaceans

Freshwater shrimp  or grass shrimp  and can be found in aquatic vegetation or mats of hydrilla. 
 

Crawdads 
Crawdads  look like miniature lobsters and can be found in most temperate of tropical areas of the world. They are easily collected from drying pools or ponds or you can make a crawdad trap and bait it with fish head (which you should be eating and not using for bait) or fish entrails (guts). See our crab trap building  technique. For primitive  crawdad traps you make a long and narrow closely slatted box, and you must have the entrance on the top and facing down or a funnel shape entrance at each end. If making it from reeds remember the slats must be close together to prevent all but the tiniest from escaping. Try weaving some cordage thru  the slats. Another method of catching crawdads is to fish for them by tying the bait on a piece of line. When the crawdad grabs it slowly pull it in.  This causes them to hold on harder, and then suddenly haul in the line with them still on it. The same works for crabs, It's the old monkey fist in the hole concept. They are reluctant to let go.

Lobster       
3 different types of Spiny lobster found tropical waters.

Lobsters - (and salt water Crayfish), crabs, and shrimp can be collected near shore in most tropical or subtropical regions. Catch lobsters and crabs with a baited pot  trap or a baited line hook just like the fresh water crawdads.  If the water is clear or if you have a mask you will find spiny lobster or salt water crayfish (pronounced crawfish by locals) under rocks and coral heads. (do not touch coral - some types are irritating, but the touch from a human hand can kill the coral). In a most rudimentary situation you can use a 3 foot "tickle stick" to reach into the lobster den and tap him on the tail and hope he crawls out into your waiting gloved hand, But remember you are under water and how long can you stay there. This method is the only method that scuba diver are allowed to use in some locations, but then they have a tank full of air and can be persistent.  A slightly better method is using a piece of fine cloth - underwear, panty hose etc - tie it on the end of  3 foot piece of stick let it hang loosely. When you see the spiny antennae sticking out under a rock, poke the clothed end in past the antennae and wrap it around the Lobster. The spines on it's body will become entangled in the cloth and you can pull it out and feast like a king. Of course if your are not stranded and are allowed to use a spear gun  then have at it, but check the local laws. Most locations (Florida Keys included) prohibit Spearguns. 

 Clams,  oysters, snails  and such

Freshwater and saltwater shellfish clams, mussels, bivalves, and sea urchins

Mussels usually form dense colonies in rock pools, on logs, or at the base of boulders, and usually above the water line at low tide. This makes it extremely easy to collect them in large quantities. These are an excellent source of protein, are tasty and cost  a bunch of money if you were to buy them .

Click for large photo

 These are a filter critters which means that great quantities of water are filtered to pick out whatever little bits of food the Mussels can get out of it, but along with this food may be toxins. However if you are so far from civilization that you must resort to survival techniques then you are not likely just around the bend from some toxic waste discharge, so count mussels as good food.

Preparation: Steam, boil, or bake mollusks in the shell. They make excellent stews in combination with greens and tubers. In a pinch the Mussels can be place right on the coals of campfire and the removed after about 10 minutes. The shells should be slightly open and you can then cut the meat free from it's anchor an the shell (no knife- then use the edge of  one half of the shell to cut it loose- these also make good scrapers for removing fat and hair from a hide when tanning-When in a survival situation use everything to it's fullest).

Snails, escargot, whelks and conchs.  

River snails or freshwater periwinkles are plentiful in rivers, streams, and lakes of northern coniferous forests. These snails may be pencil point or globular in shape.

In fresh water, look for mollusks in the shallows, especially in water with a sandy or muddy bottom. Look for the narrow trails they leave in the mud or for the dark elliptical slit of their open valves.

Near the sea, look in the tidal pools and the wet sand. Rocks along beaches or extending as reefs into deeper water often bear clinging shellfish. Snails and limpets cling to rocks and seaweed from the low water mark upward. Large snails, called chitons, adhere tightly to rocks above the surf line.

To eat snails and such you can boil them in the shell and then pull the animal out. For conchs  you can hold them by the lip of the shell and with the back of a machete or similar, break a slot along the ring of spikes between the 2nd and 3rd rows of the whorls. Stick a thin bladed knife in the slit and cut the muscle where it is fastened to the inner cone of the shell. If you are in a survival situation you can suspend the shell over some shaded branches and the foot of the animal will begin to hang down. Trying to pull it out too soon it will pull back in.

Once you have the animal free from the shell you tear or rub off anything that will come off and then wash it. The meaty part, the foot, is covered with a tough skin (usually black) and should be removed. Once it is cleaned you should have a nice piece of white meat. If the gastropods (those with a foot to propel them along) were living in a clean source of water such as the Caribbean sea or a clean stream you can eat the meat raw. It is best to cut it up in thin strips as thick as a fifty cent piece. If you are cooking it then pound it to tenderize it before cooking. The mouth of a coke bottle (virtually everywhere - See the movie "The God's Must Be Crazy" A great movie) works well as a tenderizing tool or in a pinch you could use 2 rocks. Visit our recipes section to see recipes for most of the foods we cover here. It you don't find some now ,then keep checking back because we are adding files constantly and we will get to it.

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Fish

see our identification charts  Freshwater      Saltwater  
Catching  Cleaning  Cooking   Preserving

Fish represent a good source of protein and fat. They offer some distinct advantages to the survivor or camper. They are usually more abundant than mammal wildlife. To be successful at catching fish, you must know their habits. For instance, fish tend to feed heavily before a storm. Fish are not likely to feed after a storm when the water is muddy and swollen. Light often attracts fish at night. When there is a heavy current, fish will rest in places where there is an eddy, such as near rocks. Fish will also gather where there are deep pools, under overhanging brush, and in and around submerged foliage, logs, or other objects that offer them shelter.

There are no poisonous freshwater fish. However, the catfish species has sharp, needlelike protrusions on its dorsal fins and barbels. These can inflict painful puncture wounds that quickly become infected.

Cook all freshwater fish to kill parasites. Also cook saltwater fish caught within a reef or within the influence of a freshwater source as a precaution. Any marine life obtained farther out in the sea will not contain parasites because of the saltwater environment. You can eat these raw.

Certain saltwater species of fish have poisonous toxins in their flesh or the internal organs. In some species the poison occurs seasonally in others, it is permanent. Examples of  saltwater fish  to be wary of are the porcupine fish, cowfish, thorn fish, and puffer  The barracuda, while not actually poisonous itself, may transmit ciguatera (fish poisoning). A simple test is to place a piece of fish near some ants ant if they actively try to cart it off then is is likely to be safe to eat, if they avoid it the you should do likewise.

Catching your fish

Scratch and Snatch  Traps   Spears     Bow and Arrow   Snare   Net

Now how to catch them. We won't go into the mechanics of using a fly rod or bait casting as these are subjects that are being covered separately in our "Fishing" section. Rather we will deal with alternate methods that may be employed in a survival situation.

 Scratch and Snatch   Tickle Catch: 
Using this method you do just as it's name implies, you tickle the fish then catch it.  Basically you need to know where it is that the fish likes to rest. Usually near the shore and close to some cover such as tree roots or brush. You lay down on the bank and put your arm in the water, palm side up, and wait. This can be painful in frigid water and you may find the when you go to snatch your hands won't work. The concept is to let the fish return to it's spot and over your hand (reposition it slowly if necessary) and then slowly begin to caress it's belly. This pacifies it and it soon begins to not feel threatened and becomes careless and slow to react. This is when you close you hand around him, try to get side fins between your fingers, and all in one motion you scoop him up out of the water, up and over you and as high up on the bank as you can. Don't try to just get a hold of it, cause it won't take but a split second for it to realize what is going on and thrash itself  loose. Fish slime is slipperier than a wet bar of soap. This works better on some fish than others. Some of the bottom feeder (suckers) are easier than game fish but if you are catching catfish be aware that they have terrible spines on their fins that can cause tremendous inflammation.

Fish Trap (pot)

We have made several of these in the past, but at the time they were being made out of necessity and never thought of needing to share it with the world.  Until we have the opportunity to construct one and take photos of the process we will supply you with a basic description on "how to make a fish trap or a fish pot", and the principles of why it works.

Normally these are made out of chicken wire over a wooden frame and are quite easy to do.

The concept here is that fish will swim down to a bait but not easily figure that they then need to swim back up the way they came. Using whatever material is available you will create a fairly large box form (4 feet by 3 feet by 18 inches high).  This need to be able to be seen through and not a solid box. In a survival condition you will likely need to use wooden strips and create a frame and then add strips to the frame  in a vertical alignment with about 3/4 inches of open space between them. Continue this across the top and bottom but leave a gap on 2 ends about 1 foot square and a similar gap in the center on the top. Then alternately weave  or lash on, wooden slats through the primary slats with about 3/4" open space between them as well. Again leaving out 1 foot of the end pieces, but filling in the  bottom 8 inches so that the openings start at the top frame member. Next fill in the top of the trap  leaving the 1 foot gap in the center.  This will give you a 1 foot square openings. Carry on with the other side and bottom which will be completely slatted while maintaining the 3/4' open space between the slats. Create a  hinged door about 16 " square in the top by lashing a frame (See knots) and then weaving in a method similar to the sides but the lid can be made out of  lighter material. Fasten this using cordage (We prefer cordage made from the Cayman Thatch Palm) in 2 places on onside to create a hinge. 
Now on each end you need to create a funnel that is about 16 " deep and tapers from the on foot opening to about 10". Fill this in all but the the last 10 " of the bottom but using the weaving similar to the lid. In effect you should have a funnel that allows a fish to enter and the swim down through the 10 inch opening in the bottom  of the funnel..
It is advisable to make a bait box and fasten it on the inside and on the bottom of the trap. This will have to be open enough that the fish can see and smell the bait but only the smallest will be able to pick it apart. Put a hinged top on the bait box for easy replenishment. 
You will now have a Fish Trap and you can bait it, close the lid and secure it, tie some rocks on the outside near the bottom for weight so it doesn't wash away with the currents and then  a length of line to retrieve it.. Again see cordage.

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Fishing Spear and gigs

These are quite simple to make and more difficult to use.  The difference between a spear and a gig is you throw a spear and you stab or joog with a gig. Once again we will dwell on these from the primitive survival point of view, although we have seen some nice commercial models out there. You can even by the spear head from a good bait shop and mount it on a pole of your choosing, If this is the route you are going to take, than visit the maintenance building of a local golf course and see if they have any of the fiberglass greens flag poles that are thicker in the middle (for grip) and taper towards the ends, to mount your tip on.  One of the neatest and most productive gigs seen, was up in the Pacific Northwest where the native Indians were perched on a bridge over a river and were taking sockeye salmon. They were using a 25 foot length of Fir tree with a 3 pronged (tined) pitch fork on the end. The center prong was straight and sharp to pierce the fish while the outer 2 were curled in towards the center and slightly up to keep it from sliding off. 

Because it was spawning season, the salmon were brilliant red (See our Fish Identification guides) and swimming 2-3 deep across the entire breadth of the river, they made it look like a river of blood. The native Indians  were able to almost indiscriminately jab into the water without aiming and still bring up a nice salmon. 

Now on to construction a crude but highly effective spear or gig out of natural materials. First scout to find out what fish are available and where they frequent. This will help to determine which type of device to make. If there are fish swimming in tidal pools then a spear may be most appropriate but if it is a Gilumbo, (a large 50 pounds -20 kg - brightly colored Parrot fish) that you are after your will find the slow to react  huge parrot fish, feeding on whelk (which are also good to eat) along rocky shores, then a gig may be in order. A spear fit the common definition of a lance like object that is thrown at its target as opposed to a gig which has a barbed spear tip, but a much longer pole, that is thrust (stabbed) and not thrown.

• Once you have chosen your preference then you need to locate a suitable green wood pole of the length needed, The pole should be not less than 1 1/2" in diameter at the bottom end that will become the tip.

• Scrape the bark off the stem off the pole.

• Using some of your cordage  you need to whip (See knots) the trunk if the pole starting about 6 inches from the end of the pole and then wrap it tightly for the next 2 inches.

• Next you need to split the end of the pole through the center to the depth of 6 " or up to the whipping.

• Then split it again 90 degrees to the first split.

• Cut 2 small 1/4 round sticks about 4 inches long.

• Spread the splits and force one stick in each split. this will give you a 4 pronged fork.

• Place the prong end of the stick in your campfire (see Fire making) but pull it out before it catches fire. Repeat this until the wood is died out and hardened.

• Lash the sticks in the upper most position you can achieve without breaking the prongs.

• Trim off the sticks that extend  3-4 inches 75-100 mm beyond the lashing.

• Sharpen each prong  and create a barb on each, and harden a bit more in the fire.

• Rub with a stone, preferably sandstone, to get a very sharp point on each prong.

• The spear is complete at this point and the rest is up to you.

• Practice to get a feel for the balance. 

• If you remember your physics lesson the you will recall that light passing through a denser substance will cause the light to bend towards the perpendicular. Meaning that if the sun is behind you, the fish in the water (the denser substance) will appear closer to you. the same applies no matter where the sun is the fish will appear to be closer to the sun than it actually is. To get a grasp on this so you will know where to aim, practice placing one end of the spear into the water while noting how it appears to bend towards the direction of the sun. Depending on the depth of the fish and the position of the sun on the horizon, the fish will appear more or less displaced.  It is best to fish with the sun to your left so that you are aiming at a point  to the right of the fish, that is if your are right handed and the opposite for left handed. This means the fish would be in plain site, with the exception of the glare from the sun which will also be less if it is to side. Salt water is denser than fresh water, Also the reason why you float better in salt water than in fresh,  so the image distorts more in salt water than in fresh water, meaning that the distance between where it looks like the fish is and where it actually is is greater in Salt water. So if you are in a location where you have the 2 types of fishing grounds you will need to adjust accordingly. Something else to remember is that the fish will not hold still when you fling the spear, so you may have to lead your aim, that is, to allow for the fact that the fish will be fleeing forward so your aim must be somewhat forward of where you want to hit it, especially when using a big slow moving spear. With practice and out of hunger you will eventually get the hang of it and have fish hanging over your fire.

Bow Fishing. First you will need a bow and arrow. We will be providing a section on how to make this extremely useful survival tool, which some would call a weapon. But until then you will need to devise one on your own. You will want to have your arrow tethered to your bow so you can retrieve the fish.

Basically because the fish are underwater, they are not where they appear to be. You need to employ the same principle to accurately shoot your fish as you would in the spearing of fish, which is explained above, except you will be aiming down along your shaft at a point offset of where the fish appears to be. This is more effective than spearing, but make sure that you are in a survival need before you bow fish any game fish or you run the risk of the law, gerbage or invasive fish are usually ok to take in practice but check with you local authorities..

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Amphibians
Frogs and salamanders are easily found near bodies of fresh water. Most of them may be eaten but you must remember that many  of them have some level of toxicity emitted from gland in their skin, some of it deadly, but the flesh is usually safe. Always cook first.

  Frogs                 

Water dwelling Frogs seldom move from the safety of the water's edge. At the first sign of danger, they plunge into the water and bury themselves in the mud and debris. There are few poisonous species of frogs, however most of these are in the tropics and live in trees and thus a "tree frogs". Avoid any brightly colored frogs or one that has a distinct "X" mark on it's back. Frog legs are considered a delicacy but in places like South Florida they are just "good eating". The preferred method is to use an airboat with a driver and a gigger. Using the lights mounted in the boat and a light on the gigger's helmet ( like a miners) they barrel along at 45 mph and the gigger spots the reflection in the eyes of the frog and reaches out with his frog gig (spear) and the driver veers towards it. The frog is impaled from the speed of the boat without any actual thrusting from the gigger. The frog is quickly pulled off the gig by pulling it through a V over a 5 gallon bucket, and then on to the next one, A gigger must learn which eyes are the frogs (by color) and which are not or he will wind up bringing an angry cottonmouth snake onboard or rip his arm out of the socket by sticking a 100 pound gator at 45 mph.

However in survival catch them anyway you can. A bull frog's hind legs can yield as much as 1/4 pound - 100 mg - of lean meat and about 300 calories. If you are going to be chasing them like a madman all over kingdom come, then you may burn more calories than you would get from them, but they would still taste good and feel good in your belly. It is better to use a 6 foot - 2 m- pole about 1 1/4 inch -30mm - in diameter (may want a short Y branch at the end to expand the area covered, to allow for an inaccurate aim) and smack them dead, before or as they are getting ready to jump, rather than trying to catch them with your hands.

Do not confuse frogs with toad. (or princes to trolls) You normally find toads in drier environments. Several species of toads secrete a poisonous substance through their skin as a defense against attack. Therefore, to avoid poisoning, do not handle or eat toads you do not know ( and if you do know them, it is up to you, I just hope you don't size up all your friends for their food value - and no we don't cover cannibalism in our survival skills, at least not yet, but even that might not be ruled out in an extreme situation - just leave me out as a candidate for both the consumption and the consumed).

Salamanders     

Salamanders are nocturnal. The best time to catch them is at night using a light. They can range in size from a few centimeters to well over 60 centimeters (2 feet) in length. Look in water around rocks and mud banks for salamanders. Salamanders tend to have a blunter face than others in the lizard families, with protruding eyes (kind of like the (Gieco Gecko) The one pictured above is the newly discovered Asian  Salamander so you may want to give him a break and not eat him if you have another choice
 Do not confuse these with skinks, a shiny lizard, black fading to purple with a yellowish stripe down the back and each side, pointed head and a tail that starts as wide as the body and tapers down.
Skinks have a reputation for being somewhat toxic if not handled correctly. 

Reptiles   Snakes

Reptiles are a good protein source and relatively easy to catch. You should cook them, but in an emergency, you can eat them raw. Their raw flesh may transmit parasites, but because reptiles are cold-blooded, they do not carry the blood diseases of the warm-blooded animals.

The box turtle is a commonly encountered turtle that you should not eat. It feeds on poisonous mushrooms and may build up a highly toxic poison in its flesh. Cooking does not destroy this toxin. Avoid the hawksbill turtle, found in the Atlantic Ocean, because of its poisonous thorax gland. Poisonous snakes, alligators, crocodiles, and large sea turtles present obvious hazards to the survivor.

Birds

All species of birds are edible, although the flavor will vary considerably. You may skin fish-eating birds to improve their taste. As with any wild animal, you must understand birds' common habits to have a realistic chance of capturing them. You can take pigeons, as well as some other species, from their roost at night by hand. During the nesting season, some species will not leave the nest even when approached. Knowing where and when the birds nest makes catching them easier . Birds tend to have regular flyways going from the roost to a feeding area, to water, and so forth. Careful observation should reveal where these flyways are and indicate good areas for catching birds in nets stretched across the flyways . Roosting sites and waterholes are some of the most promising areas for trapping or snaring.

Nesting birds present another food source--eggs. Remove all but two or three eggs from the clutch, marking the ones that you leave. The bird will continue to lay more eggs to fill the clutch. Continue removing the fresh eggs, leaving the ones you marked.

Mammals

Mammals are excellent protein sources and, for Americans, the most tasty food source. There are some drawbacks to obtaining mammals. In a hostile environment, the enemy may detect any traps or snares placed on land. The amount of injury an animal can inflict is in direct proportion to its size. All mammals have teeth and nearly all will bite in self-defense. Even a squirrel can inflict a serious wound and any bite presents a serious risk of infection. Also, a mother can be extremely aggressive in defense of her young. Any animal with no route of escape will fight when cornered.

All mammals are edible; however, the polar bear and bearded seal have toxic levels of vitamin A in their livers. The platypus, native to Australia and Tasmania, is an egg-laying, semi-aquatic mammal that has poisonous glands. Scavenging mammals, such as the opossum and raccoons, may carry diseases or even be rabid .

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Devices

Depending upon what is available  you will have to improvise these instructions. 

Snares are one of the most productive ways of trapping a land animal. Basically a snare is made from a line or better yet wire or aircraft cable (we are hoping you didn't crash but if you did make use of everything possible). One end has an eye tied in it and the other end is passed thru the eye  to make loop that can easily be pulled closed. Pick you animal. Don't just make a snare and hope that some perfectly sized animal is going to wander along and get caught. Smaller animals call for  a smaller snare and closer to the path and the opposite for a larger animal. You will want to find a well worn and frequented path to set the snare over. We say "over" because in a passive snare you are attempting to have the animal get it's head thru the snare and the ensuing struggle tightens it down cutting of the air supply. Most of us have seen the snatch snares in movies where the character is yanked up into the air. Remember these are staged in the movies and are possible to make for  game but require a sophisticated trigger method that is not necessary, as a passive system works well will the mentality of most animals. 

Sometimes an animal need a little encouragement and you can guide it into the snare by constricting the sides of the path  with brush to ensure that it stays in the center where your snare is set up. Or for squirrels and a wire snare, you can lean a pole up against a tree that the squirrel frequent (this is obvious from the flakes of bark on the ground around the tree).

The following subject are in the works and will have a link when they are ready for viewing.

Rabbit stick Throwing stick - rocks - Traps - Snares - Crawdad traps - Spears not recommended for most - Bow and arrows takes time - Knapping -  club - sand pit - Fishing spear or frogging spear -Fish pot -  hand catching fish - Fishing line - Fashioning hooks - dead log - Harvesting the slow moving critters

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Preparation or dressing the meat.

It is important that we stress the possibility of contracting food poisoning if food is not handled correctly in the dressing and butchering process

Preserving the meat  This must be done correctly or life threatening illnesses can result from eating food that has not been properly preserved. See Legal,

Note: It has been recently discovered that Cilantro, a herb used in Latin American cooking and salsa,  has an ingredient  called dodecenal,  found in the fresh leaves and the seeds of cilantro. This ingredient  is several times more effective than current medicine in preventing  food borne illness caused by Salmonella bacteria

Fish
Fish is one of the easiest form of meat to preserve. This is largely due to the the low amount of blood in fish meat. In fact the moisture in fish is  mostly water. See water procurement. This lends itself to being sun dried, dehydrated or smoked. 

Sun dried Salt fish.
To dry fish you simply cut slits in the flesh about an 1 1/2" apart, rub salt (Usually available in dry crusted form on rocks or tidal pools near the sea)  in the slits and over the flesh and skin. Next you hang it in the sun and treat it like laundry on a clothes line, you bring it in when rain threatens and at night to protect it from the dew, It may be necessary to use additional salt.
Note #1 It may develop an acrid  strong fish odor to it and this is normal. But a putrid rotting smell is a sign that not enough salt or too much moisture is the cause, and the fish may have to be discarded.  When eating dried fish it will have a slight bitterness to it but this is acceptable. Cod fish done this way is the national dish of Jamaica, and is an acquired taste. 
Note 2: Because the fish is salted and dried it is tougher to determine what is bones when you are eating, so it is advisable to fillet or de-bone it first. 
Note #3 Once the fish has been salt cured you can soak it in fresh water prior to cooking or eating to remove some of the salt.

Dehydrating

Dehydrating is similar to Salt fish except that instead of so much salt, it is seasoned as though it was being marinated and then it is force dried by passing dry warm air over it. This is basically Fish Jerky. Again de-bone it first.

Smoke Fish

Smoking fish has been used by man since primitive times. Basically what happens in the smoking process it is not a matter of cooking it but drying it in a warm smoky environment 
This is not just a good way to preserve fish or any meat but adds a taste that many find enjoyable. To successfully smoke fish  it is done in a number of ways but basically it comes down to whether you plan to eat it soon or in a couple months providing you have refrigeration. You need to split large fish in half and possibly even into strips to speed the time it take to finish the process. Fatty fish like salmon and mullet make the best tasting smoked fish but any fish can be smoked. The wood you use for smoking must not be a resinous type such as pine or it will deposit a crude form of creosote on the meat rendering it non-edible. Use dense hardwood like hickory oak, maple etc.

For short term storage you salt the meat, not as heavily as you do in salt fish, by either rubbing it in or soaking it in salt water. You then hang it in an enclosed container or a lean to and with a small fire burned down to the coals and either a pan of moist sawdust, soaked dry wood or green wood to put on the fire to create smoke. The surface of the fish should not be more than 90 degrees (Barely warm to the touch) for the first 4 hours and then 150 degrees ( hottest temperature that could be considered safe to touch) for the the next 6 hours. This is called kippering and will on be effective for a short time without refrigeration (1 or 2 days) and a couple of weeks in the fridge.

For longer term storage you need to salt it quite a bit  and then smoke it slowly with only about 90 degrees maximum, for a day and a half or even longer for larger pieces of meat.

For both methods the flesh will have a deep pink to orange color depending on the type of fish and wood smoke.. This color must be all the way through it to be considered done. In  civilization a single burner hot plate can be used with a tray of moist sawdust. Set the heat just high enough to make smoke and then use vents to control the temperature but try not to lose to much smoke.

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