I know what will work perfectly. It's a product called SaniTred. People are using this to build koi ponds, so it's perfectly safe to use with fish. It's so good, you can even seal a card board box well enough to hold water. Here is a link that might be useful: sani-tred

I have a clawfoot tub/fountain in my front yard, and a drainboard sink/potting bench in the back yard. They were free, and in about the same condition as yours appear to be. For the same uses, $25 each is probably the most I would pay, if I didn't have to wade through mud to get them. Would you be able to find a couple of friends (or pay a couple of neighborhood teens $20) to drag them out of the barn? Clean them up, take better pics (as lazygardens suggested), then ask for an offer. Another option would be to ask if you can post ads at plant nurseries or landscaping businesses in your area. Again, include better pics. If you don't want to invest effort and time in cleaning them up, call a salvage yard--they probably have set prices for those items.

In Kitchen Confidential Anthony Bourdain said basically that there are a few applications where nonstick is best and one of them is for a delicate fish fillet. I absolutely agree if the pan is heavy. If you don't want to use nonstick then first bring the fish to room temperature, then pre-heat a heavy pan until it's hot, then add the oil and pre-heat it. Coating the fish with oil can't hurt but the main points are bringing the fish to room temperature and pre-heating both the pan and then the oil. If the pan is really clean the fish won't stick. If it does stick you will have to wait until it releases and by that time the fish may be overcooked.

Fish is a bi-product of sorts from our boating hobby. We eat fish more than land critters since essentially it's free. DH does pay a hundred bucks/year for a recreational lobster permit but that breaks down to a couple pennies/pound at season's end. Once a year, DH and a couple buddies do an extended several day offshore tuna fishing trip. Our boat is not set up for tuna fishing so they go in David's boat and the other two pitch in for fuel. Fuel costs in the $1,000-$1,200 range for the trip plus the tuna permit. Any catch is split between the guys. They almost always come home with at least one tuna. Since they would have the boats regardless - we don't include it either in our grocery costs plus it's really good bonding time for the guys (3-4 days alone together at sea). I've always got a freezer full of cod, tuna, summer fluke (flounder), lobster, and stock fixings because those are our favorites. We get dry diver scallops from the "honor system" box on the dock. The charge is $15/lb. They're available 24/7 so scallops are a short notice quick meal. We dig our own clams. Crab we usually buy from a young child walking around the marina earning money for his piggy bank. We do not eat swordfish and limit salmon although we do eat it once every couple months. So, how to eat seafood on a budget? Well, you could take up offshore boating as a family hobby! It's fun and is an activity the whole family enjoys. Gets everybody away from the electronics (except for what's on the helm), see new sights, learn about conservation, teaches personal responsibility, and new skills plus it's a lot of fun. (grin) /tricia