Abstract: A method of automatically cleaning fishes of the type to be sold with the head of the fish remaining on the fish body, comprising the steps of providing a first cross incision in the lower body portion approximately along the rear edge of the gill blades and a second cross incision in the lower head portion, providing a longitudinal incision along the underside of the fish body behind the said first cross incision so as to open the belly of the fish and removing the gills and entrails from the opened belly, said second cross incision being made subsequently to said first cross incision so as to cut the lower ends of the gill archs and the clavigulae approximately where these are joined to the tongue arch (urohyale) of the fish, whereafter, upon the belly being opened, the gills and the entrails are gripped and removed from the fish by means of a suction nozzle.