Fresh washed red hake (Urophycis chuss) mince without cryoprotectants was irradiated at 0 (control), 0.66 and 1.31 kGy and stored aerobically at 3.3"C. The total aerobic plate counts of the control and the low and high levels irradiated samples remained less than 10" CFU/ g for 4, 10, and 17 days, respectively. Gel strength decreased after irradiation of mince, and such decreases were dose-dependent. Irradiation extended sensory shelf life of unfrozen fish mince 12-18 days and microbiologically (< 10" CFU/g) 6-13 days longer than the unirradiated control.