St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-02-16
FRIGHTENED INTO THE NETS.
The Curious Method by Which the
TOothsome Anchoyy Is Caupht.

The Curious Method by Which the
Toothsome Anchovy Is Caught.
From Every Other Week
The Mediterranean sea is said to
swarm with fish of all kinds, and among
others the anchovy has long been known
and appreciated by the Italians. and of
late years has been exported in largely
increasing quantities to all parts of the
world. Like the herring, the sardine
and the sprat, the shoals appear at GER
tain seasons of the year, when the catch
and curing give occupation to large
number of people. The best kind are
caught not far distant from the port of
Leghorn, near the island of Gorgona,
where the population Is entirely en-
gagged in these fisheries The anchovy is
caught off the Islands of Elba aud Corsi-
ca, and lower down around the coast of
Sicily. 1t is to be found in the Baltic
and the North seas, although of larger
and coarser kind and untitled for the
table. The season lasts from May to
July. the arrival of the shoals being
heralded and made known by the ap-
pearance of the porpoise, the dogfish
and other scayengers of the deep. The
powers of inceaSe must be prOdigiouS
which can survive all the modes of
attack and yet return again in innumer-
aOle SWarmS, coming one knows not
whence or whittier bound.
The mode in which they are taken is
somewhat peculiar and deserving of
mention. 1t is customary to select a
cloudy night for the purpose, when
three or four boats. each manned by two
OF three men. set out in the evening.
They light their torches and go some
distance out to sea upon the spots where
they think the fish are likely to be
most numerous. Behind them, comes
nolseleSsly and in,the shadow the boat
has four or five men on board, is called
the risSollier, after the net used for the
purpose. The fastiers. which is the
name OF the boats with the torches, keep
at certain distance apart, about $50 OF
200 yards, and when they see that the
anchovies, collected together by the
illumination, are in great numbers, they
make signal to the rissollier, which
approaches gradually and cautiously,
until the other fisherman can slip their
nets into the water around the fastierS,
Then. when this is done, at a given sig
nal all the torches are eXtinguiShed, the
fisherman lash the water. at the same
time making as much noise as possible.
The anchoyies, frightened and endeay.
oring to escape, dash headlong into the
meshes of the nets, i'll which their heads
are transfiXed. 1t is only necceS airy
then to haul in the nets to secure the
catch, and proceed to distance and re-
new the same operation if the night be
sufficiently dark.
The curing of the anchovy takes place
in brine, and not in oil like the sardine.
The heads, gills and entrails are sepa-
rated from the bodies, which are sailed
and arranged in circular boxes, called
drums, varying from five pounds to
twenty pounds in weight.
Anchovy paste for toast and sandwiches
is also we'll known for its piquant flavor.
The demand has SO much increased
that it is di fficult to obtain the requisite
supplies from Gorgona, and much is i'm
ported from different parts of France,
with view to supplying the public
with all article which is claimed to be
almost equal to the Italian anchovy.