Dictionary of Ichthyology
salting = flavouring fish by rubbing in salt or by immersing the fish in
brine for a short time before further processing such as smoking or canning.
Also called dry salting or brining. cf. salt curing.
splitting = often carried out before salting or drying, a gutted fish is cut
partly through exposing some or all of the backbone, with the head on or off.
There are various commercial grades of splitting from well split to very poorly
split, depending on whether the backbone was removed entirely, whether belly
flaps are entire or not, and split tails or round tails, gill covers, cartilage,
slivers, skull bones present in varying degrees (Egyptians splitting and salting
fish).