The effects of low temperature and starvation on the physiochemical characteristics of the muscle of the olive flounder Paralichthys olivaceus, were examined. Fish were deprived of feed for 28 days at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, and $20^{circ}C$ in order to establish suitable conditions for live fish transportation. Throughout most of the 4 weeks of feed restriction, the physiochemical characteristics of the muscle of olive flounder were found to be dependent on the acclimation temperature. The breaking strength of muscle did not show a significant reduction during feed restriction at 2 and $4^{circ}C$. With increasing temperatures, however, the breaking strength of muscle differed significantly according to the individual and feed restriction period (P<0.05). The moisture content in muscle acclimated at 10, 12, and $20^{circ}C$ increased steadily over the feed-restriction period, while the crude lipid content decreased during the same period (P<0.05). At water temperatures above $2-8^{circ}C$, no significant differences were shown during the same period. After it reached 6, 8, 10, 12, and $20^{circ}C$, the muscle had an accumulation of lactate, and a loss of ATP. There was no change in the lactate or ATP content during the feed restriction period at 2 and $4^{circ}C$, although there were differences among the water temperature groups. These results clearly show that temperature can have an important influence on the of muscle of physiochemical characteristics of muscle during live fish transportation.