The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1896-10-31
THEY FISH FOR sARDiNEs.
A Great Industry. Which Gives Employ
ment to Many People.

| ment to Many People.
The sardine industry in the provinces
of Brittany and Vendee employs large
population of men, women and chill
dren. Nantes is the most important
center for the preparation of canned
sardines, though La Rochelle and sew.
eral other maritime towns are able to
rival the Brittany metropolis to-day.
The sardine manufacturers of Nantes
own over 100 important factories, seat
tered along the coast between Les
Stables d'Olonne, st. GILES and Belle
Isle. 1t is from the beginning of June
that sardines begin to flock along the
Brittany coast. Like cod, they are sea-
son fish, and their fayorite abiding place
is at great depths, among marine
grasses, two or three miles from the
shore, where they assemble in large
numbers. The sardine is fished in the
same manner as the cod, excepting that
the net is made with smaller openings.
These nets are termed ''manets" in Bril-
tany.
Every year thousands of fishing
smacks start out sardine fishing. The
vessels are of light construction and
only fit for calm sea. If overtaken by
squat they often have barely time
to seelxsrefuge in some friendly harbor.
The average length of these craft is
from 25 to 30 feet. They are fitted out
with a number of large oars, the use of
which is indispensable to manage the
boats on their return to port As rule
| the captains of these fishing boats are
the owners as well, but in the past ten
years many factory owners have start
ed fishing fleets of their own. The
crew of an average sardine boat consists
of between seven and ten men, only
three of whom are professional sailors
the captain, his mate and one sailor
| boy. The remainder are peasants,
who make use of the fishing time to fill
up the farmers dull season.
The start for the days fishing takes
place every morning; the boats leave
| port at low tide and sail TO the spot
| where the sardines have been signaled.
! As soon as the fish have been seen the
nets, many of which are over 5000 feet
| long, are thrown overheard. These
nets have all been blackened before
hand with smoke, so as not to brighten
the fish. At the same time the fisher
men scatter bait around them; the IA
verite bait is called rogue and is
made of fish roe Once the net is filled.
it is drawn into the boat, emptied and
! l. o,,Jt ,,a Ie
very easily, and the fishermen are, in
consequence obliged to return early in
the evening at high tide. As soon as
the boats reach the docks, the 'remar-
deuses,' as the "sardine women" are
termed. seize the nets, stretch them
along the beach and mend them if nec-
essary.
Meanwhile, the captains sell their
| fish either to fish merchants or to the
sardine factories direct. Once the sales
are made, the "sardine women" in the
service of the factories flock TO the
harbor and clean the fish; the scene
then is most typical and has often been
made subject for the painters brush.
Conversation at once begins between
these sturdy fishwiyes and the fisher
men, and the relative merits of the
days catch are discussed and com
mented upon.
Once the boats are emptied and the
| fish cleaned the fishermen go to the
neighboring cabaret" to settle the
days pay; the first proceeding is to de-
duct from the days gross income the
several expenses, such as cost of bait,
divided into a certain number of por-
tions, of which the captain has gen.
orally two, the mate one-half or one
quarter and the rest of the crew what
remains. When the fishing has been
good the days profits are considerable;
but on a bad day the men are often in
distress, as they have no regular pay.
The preparation of sardines in oil is
as follows: The fish are first washed i'll
salt water, beheaded and cleaned. They
are then sailed and dried in the sun
Or in aerated rooms, specially prepared
for the purpose. They are then slightly
dipped into boiling oil and when cooled
,tf they are placed in tin boxes, which
are made in the factory. These boxes
are filled with oil, Theoretically sealed
and dipped into boiling water to pre-
vent fermentation taking place. This
last operation finished, the boxes are
packed in wooden cases, filed with saw
lust, and are then all ready for sale.
Every factory employs on an aver
age $50 women, 90 children and as many
men, these latter being tinsmiths for
the most part The women employees
receive very small pay three or four
cents an hour. Those employed in the
boiling process receive a slightly larger
salary, this work being more dangerous
and difficulty. Y. Times.