The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1882-06-29
Sardine Fishery.

The sardine fishery constitutes, in
France, marine industry which plays
considerable part in the prosperity
of the littoral population. The port
of Douarnenez alone possesses 800
fishing boats of seven or eight tons,
and Ccncarneau 600; while there are
another 600 boats between Brest and
Sables d'Olonne, The crew consists
of the master, three men and a boy.
making in all $4,000 to 10000 persons
engaged in the sardine fishery, while
the preservation of the fish affords
work to at least an equal number. In
1876 Douarnenez produced 1926 tons
of green. .salted sardines, sold as fresh
fish. The boats, twenty feet long, are
fiat in the stern, but raised and point
ed at the prov, which gives them
great speed, though it exposes them to
the danger of capsizing. They have
two masts, slightly inclined backward,
and square sails of large size, which
permit them to take advantage of the
slightest breeze. The nets, not weight
ed with lead, are from twenty to thirty
meters long by six or eight wide, made
of very fine cord, with meshes of such
size that the sardine is caught by the
gills. The upper part is foated with
corks, which serve to maintain the YER
tical position of the net.
a In the sardine fishery the bait,
which is called rogue, plays the prin-
cipal part. 1t is kind of caviare,
made from the eggs OF the cod pre-
served in brine, $4,000 barrels of
which, representing value of G70, 900,
taI 1xy
There are various indications OF the
presence of the sardines, floating wreck
being good sign. Large fish, which
prey upon them. effect such destruc-
tion that the escaping oil frequently
rises to the surface and exhales an
odor which is perceptible to exper-
fenced fishermen. But it is especially
the birds lowering round which are
the harbingers of good take. When
q gull dips his peak into the water, it
is sign that the sardines are on the
surface; and when kind of gannet,
common on the coast of Brittany, dives
down from height, they are at q GER
tain depth below the surface. In
this case the nets are at once let
down, and the bait, mixed with sand to
cause it to sink, is scattered by the mas
ter. If the bait causes the sardines to
rise, q few emerald.green flashes appear
in the waves, when the fishermen do not
spare the bait: and presently the whole
shoal rises round the nets. When there
are no more fish to be taken, the nets
are hauled in, the sardines are taken out
and thrown into the hold, and the boats
make for shore.
Formerly single boat could take
as many as 20, 900 sardines, but now it
is rare to bring in more than from
5000 to 5000. The results vary, no9
only from year to year, but also be-
tween two neighboring points on the
by M. Gouillon, there were st Dou-
arnenez, from 1859 to 1872, three years
of good, six years of average e, and three
years of poor takings.
On landing, the sardines are taken
from the boats to the factories in ham
pers containing about 900, and the
preparation begins at once with per-
fectly fresh sardines. Women cut off
the heads, open and clean the fish. and
place them, one by one, on stone or
marble slabs previously strewed with
salt. While this preliminary drying
takes place, the fires are lighted, and
the purest olive oil is put into immense
caldrcns. When the oil is in state
of ebullition the sardines are laid in
layers in iron wire baskets provided
with handles. These baskets are
plunged into the boiling oil, and then
placed on shelves covered with sheet
zinc to drain, the oil being caught for
future use. The fish, when moderate
ly dry, are taken to the large drying
house exposed to the sea breeze, where
they remain for a longer or shorter
period, according to the state of the
atmosphere. On leaving it they are
sorted and put into boxes; the largest
are considered as of first quality, while
the small are frequently metamorphosed
into anchovies