The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-11-12
i UNITED STATES IS
 | BIG FISH PRODUCER i BUT SMALL EATER
Statistics Show That Ameri- cans Are Not Given to
 Fish Consumption.

| The United States produces more fish and eats less than any other sea coast nation. With the most fertile fishing banks in the world lying but a few miles from it's shores; the largest fish pier in the world located at BoS- ton. one of its ports; and one of the swiftest and most efficient stranspor- tation systems. possible at it's service, the United States has not yet learned the lesson long since digested by Eur ope and Asia that by increasing it's consump ption of fish it will increase it's general health and decrease the much discussed ''cost of liVing''
 Germany, Russia, the British Isles, all maritime countries are such great consumers of sea foods that they are annually forced to import large quan- titles of fish to supply the needs of their population. America, ignorant, apparently to the advantages to be gained by eating fish, actually exports fish to these countries, instead of using it herself.
 England. one of the biggest import CTS of fish, consumes nearly 50 pounds per year per person. America. the greatest fishing nation, consumes be- tween one and two ounces per yearS per person, Germany consumes over 70 pounds annually per capita, and
 Russia over 30 pounds .t
 In the New England states, the cen ter of this couptry's fisheries, where the consumption of sea foods should be greatest only about 13 pounds of
 fish per capita is consumed annually And, inland this drops appreciably..
 Yet there is no logical reason for this. z Transportation facilities are l such that, fresh fish can be shipped to reach an inland consumer in far bet ter shape than fresh fish caught iE
 the Baltic can reach even the Port of Homborg. The handling of fresh fish, 1 from the time it is caught on the
 banks to its delivery to the consumer i has been reduced to science.
 Federal government experts. long engaged in what has been to date a
 some fruitless endeavor to call the attention Of the general public to the 1 possibilities of fish beautiful 1 tasty and economical food, bring out 1 the point that Increased consum on I of fish should not mean an increased | price.
 There is, no cost of production, as
 is the case with meats. no cattle to
 be fed and fattened; no soil to. be fertilized and weeded The sea un- T aided, produces the fish, and ite~Fe~ I quires only an increased demand to
 bring about an increase in the catch.
 l Another point to be noted is that
 Europe and Asia utilize as foods many I varieties of fish disdained by6the poR- ula.ion- of this country. The skate or
 ray. the shark, the squid. and albacore are sold here to some extent, it Is
 true, butfthey find their sale among has learned from experience that they T are not alone edible pfTt actually de- l1fcfous.
 I Familiarity. it is said. breeds con lstempt, and sperchance this is the case
 with fish foods in this country. They T ar esos easy to get. so reasonable in
 price. that their desirability is lost
 sight of by the consumer while abroad. where the fish are smaller in
 sfze., poorer in quality. and none too l reasonable in cost, they are hailed
 with delight
 Fish is shipped daily from Boston
 to the inland west. but it's consump- I ton there is confined pretty much to
 former inhabitants of the coast states. .J Its use as a general thing in this
 country. too. is confined to one day a week. Friday. Abroad. it is eaten si several times a week. and in some families, forms a regular part of the
 daily menu.
 Knowledge of the many appetizing ways in which fish may be prepared
 for the table is largely responsible for this. The European housewife is :, an expert fish cook, a general art in which as yet the average American housewife has not trained herself To cook fish properly does not re- 3 quire the cognizance of any mystic art. nor any particular trouble But : ftrsdoes require Knowledge Like all simple matters, it's easy when you [ know how. Incidentally there is hardly any variety 4os fish susceptible to- so many variations ofscooking as fish A cod, for example. may be fried, baked, boiled made into patties, salads and served in a thousand ways Tn food value. and in taste. it is equal
 ly satisfactory, whether served fried
 or plain, or made into an elaborate
 dish.
 Over 17o,00O.o0O pounds of fish are J anuuallv Landed at tl,s IriSl, ro;a.. rl.s.