Omaha daily bee., 1896-11-28
sARDINE FISHERS.
Catching and Marketing the Tiny !
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Fishes In brittany.
The sardine industry In the provinces Of
Brittany and Vendee employs a large popu-
lation of men, women and children. Nantes
is the most important center for the prep
aration OF canned sardnes, though La
Rochelle and several other maritime towns
are able to rival the Brittany metropolis
today. The sardine manufacturers Of
Nantes, relates the New York Times,
own over 100 important factories, scat
tered along the coast between Les
Stables d'Olonne. st. Giles and Belle Isle
1t is from the beginning of June that sar-
dimes begin to flock along the Brittany
coast. Like cod they are season fish, and
their favorite abiding place is at great
depths, among marine grasses, two or
three miles from shore, where they as
sembe in large numbers. The sardine is
fished in the same manner as the cod, ox-
Cepting that the net is made with smaller
openings These nets are termed 'manets'
in Brittany.
Every year thousands of fishing smacks
start out sardine fishing. The vessels are
of light construction and only Mt for a calm
sea. If overtaken by a squall they often
have barely time to seek refuge in some
friendly harbor. The average length of
these craft is from twenty-five to thirty 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 a rule the captains of these fishing boats
are the owners as WELL but in the past ten
years many factory owners have started
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 peas
ants, 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 sgnaled. AS soon as the fish
have been seen the nets many of which are
over 1900 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 fishermen scat
ter bait around them; the favorite bait is
called rouge" and Is made of fish roe.
Once the net is filled 1t is drawn into the
boat empted and thrown out again. The
sardne spoils 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 "remandeuses,"
as the 'sardine women are termed, seize
the nets, stretch them along the beach and
mend them II necessary.
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 a subject for the paint
er's brush. Conversation at once begins
between these sturdy flshwives and the
fishermen, and the relative merits of the
days catch are discussed and commented
upon. U..E
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 deduct from the days gross
income the several expenses, such as cost
OF bait, the days food, etc. What remains
is divided into certain number of por-
tions, of which the captain has generally
two, the mate pne-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 bad day the men
are often in Distress as they have no reg
ular pay.
The preparation of the sardines in oil is
as follows The fish are first washed in 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
burning oil, and when cooled of 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 prevent fermentation taking place.
This last operation finished the boxes are
packed in wooden eases, filled with sawdust,
and are then all ready for sale.
Every factory employs on an average $50
women. twenty children, and as many men,
these latter being tinsmiths for the most
part The women employees receive very
small pays or 4 cents an hour. Those
employed in the boiling process receive a
slightly larger salary, this work being more
dangerous and difficult.