The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-01-09
FACTS ABOUT SMALL FISH.
The Finest smelt Comes From the
Pacific Ocean.

Among the various small fish that
swarm the Atlantic and Pacific shores,
there are none more appreciated by the
fish-lover than the smelt, says the
Fishing Gazette. For years the erro-
neous impression has existed that the
smelt caught on the New England coast
was by far the finest known, but, should
the investigator go as far as the Pacific
ocean, he would find that this little fish
assumes larger proportions and is by
far the most delicate in flavor than that
known here.
1t is a curious fact that the sInelt is
an offshoot of the salmon family, hav-
ing all the characteristics of that fish,
with the general formation of teeth and
tongue, etc. In Scotland it is called the
spirling, and in France the sperlan. The
beauty and delicacy of the fish years
ago tempted the would-be sardine pack
er of California to use them for sar-
dimes Unfortunately, it proved a fail
ure, as they did not keep firm after
canning.
The swarms of young mackerel off
the coast of California were then tried,
resulting most satisfactorily, and now
quantities OF these little fish are pre-
pared and cured for the American mar
sardines
The true sardine Of commerce is the
young of the pilchard, found in vast
quantities along the north shores of the
Mediterranean and the Atlantic coast
of Portugal and France,
1t is also curious that the name Sar-
dine was taken by the French from
that applied to a species of mackerel
caught and cured around the island Of
ut Ro1,
So the name La Sardine really belongs
to another variety Of Ash having moth
ing in common or even the right, ex-
cept accident of being so called No
other fish than the pilchard are used
by the French people for canning un-
der the name sardine.
The pilchard does not grow to it's full
size until after reaching more northern
waters, when it becomes equally as
large as the herring, but differing in
color and flavor.
The canning OF sprats in Norway has
within the last few years become one
Of the largest and best paying indus
tries, so much that the fish people of
Great Britain have taken it up them
selves. The sprat is much smaller than
the herring, only reaching five inches
in length when full grown and is
caught in enormous quantities in the
North and Irish seas.
The Norwegians, in preparing these
fish before canning slightly smoke
them, which gives a peculiarly appe-
tizing taste and offers a distinct nov
city i'm the sardine line.
Probably no fish is better known to
the consumers in Northern Europe,
Great Britain and America than the
herring. Fresh, sailed, picked, smoked
and now converted into sardines, it
shows a higher record in the novelty
of condition on the market than any
other.
Although the American sardine in
dustry only dates q few years back, it
has succeeded beyond the expectation
of the people engaged in it.
From dietary standpoint, there is
no fish caught along our coast that is
more healthful and useful than the her
ring. and we have no hesitation in say
ing that this American industry can
not help but grow in magnitude and i'm
portance if ordinary care is given it
by the packers in adhering to primary
rules, selecting good fish, having even
sized packs, the use Of good oil and
sticking to the universal standard of
output.