PURPOSE: To provide a method for storing fish meat in a fresh state and for thawing it, capable of preventing color change and putrefaction of fish meat by inhibiting air-decomposition, hydrolysis and autolysis causing putrefaction and discoloration of fresh fish meat.

CONSTITUTION: In cold storage and thawing of fresh fish meat, the fresh fish meat is accommodated in a storage case having a pressure-resistant shape and designed so as to be kept airtight and stored while keeping the inside of the storage case to 300mmHg degree of vacuum and 0°C to +5°C atmospheric temperature. When thawing the frozen fish meat, the degree of vacuum in the storage case is adjusted to 400mmHg and the frozen fish meat is thawed to a desired state while being accommodated in the storage case. Thus, putrefaction and discoloration of fresh fish meat can be prevented. In addition, storage and thawing may be carried out by laying a suction sheet on the bottom of the storage case and storing or thawing the fish meat under vacuum in a state where the fresh fish meat is laid on the suction sheet. The storage case is designed so that the whole surfaces may be curved to the outside and that the respective corner parts may have a semicircular shape.