[HARRISON & KENNEDY] DISCOLOURATION OF CODFISH 137 



produce deterioration in the cured fish. The metabiotic activities 

 of the organisms here briefly mentioned need to be carefully studied 

 in relation to the disintegration and spoilage of salted codfish, and 

 cannot be dealt with here as it is beyond the scope and purpose of 

 this investigation. Some of the above described organisms were 

 present in Turks Islands brines. 



9. Inspection of Curing Establishments . 



Codfish is obtained both by bank fishing and by shore fishing. 

 The former method necessitates long trips, sometimes several months, 

 so that it is necessary for such fish to be cured on the boat. This is 

 accomplished by what is known as the "kench cure." The fish, 

 after being split, dressed and washed, are stored in the hold of the 

 ship in kench piles of varying length and height, and about four feet 

 wide. Each layer of fish is sprinkled with large amounts of coarse 

 salt. The pressure of the pile and the effect of salt cause the removal 

 of water from the fish. At intervals the kench piles are changed, the 

 lower fish being placed on top. Later, the fish may be dried, or 

 partially dried, on the deck of the ship ; or they may be, and frequently 

 are, brought to port to be dried. Instances of such fish being decidedly 

 red when landed have not been unknown. 



Shore fishing, on the other hand, is more or less a matter of 

 hours. The fish are landed fresh and cured in either of two ways — 

 in kench piles or in puncheons; the former, identical with that 

 described above, is not employed as frequently as the latter when 

 curing shore fish. Quantitative analyses showed the presence of 

 31.7 per cent, and 11.1 per cent, sodium chloride in the fleshy part 

 of the kench cured, hard dried codfish. Varying opinions are held 

 as to the frequency of red discolouration in such fish. Certainly 

 it is not free from this infection. 



So-called "pickled" fish are cured in tanks or puncheons, usually 

 made from wood (and oftentimes relics of antiquity), though cement 

 lined tanks are frequently observed in the newer establishments. 

 Alternate layers of fish with the split side up and salt are placed 

 in the puncheon, and a brine or pickle forms from the salt extracting 

 the moisture or water from the fresh fish tissues. In this the fish re- 

 main until wanted for the market. Quantitative analyses of such fish 

 showed the presence of 45.8 per cent, water and 23.6 per cent, sodium 

 chloride. Very often the top layer of fish, which may be above the 

 surface of the liquid, becomes red, though fishermen claim this 

 reddening is never seen on fish below the surface. This is explained 

 by the extreme aerobic tendencies of the organism concerned. 



