THE SEA A FOOD RESERVOIR — MOORE. 607 



The life history of the eulachon has not been investigated, but the 

 evidence appears to indicate that it is not very different from that of 

 the Pacific salmons. These slender little fishes, which reach a maxi- 

 mum length of not much over a foot, are found from Oregon to 

 Alaska, passing most of their life in the sea, but, as already stated, at 

 its end running into streams to spawn. They are probably the 

 fattest of fishes and when dried at their best a cotton wick passed 

 through the body will yield, when lighted, an illumination compar- 

 able to that of a poor candle. This may not appear to commend 

 them as food, but it happens that their oil has a peculiarly agreeable 

 flavor and Doctor Jordan has described the eulachon as being " the 

 finest food fish in the world, tender, fragrant, digestible," and others 

 familiar with it accord it equally high praise. It is extraordinary 

 that a fish of such fine qualities and great abundance should have re- 

 mained practically unutilized, but habit and prejudice in diet are 

 difficult to overcome. Nov that animal foods of the well known 

 kinds are insufficient for the world's needs, the eulachon should come 

 into its own, and the Bureau of Fisheries has undertaken to tell the 

 public about it and how it may be used. 



There are many other fishes in the sea, caught by the fishermen and 

 thrown away for lack of a market, which should be utilized. Prac- 

 tically all marine fishes are "good to eat" and all have about the 

 same general nutritive qualities. Some are better than others owing 

 to superior flavor, better keeping qualities or fewer bones, but many 

 of the neglected kinds are as good or better than those which are 

 eaten. Besides those previously mentioned, there are sea robins, 

 black groupers, black drums, the so-called rock cod of the Pacific 

 coast, and manj 7 others which are caught in large numbers and mostly 

 thrown away or used for less important purposes than as food. 



There is much talk of " speeding up " our fisheries by increasing 

 their activities. That is a laudable purpose when the world needs 

 food, but difficult of accomplishment when labor, vessels, and mate- 

 rials are hard to get, and when all are needed in the world's other 

 constructive and destructive activities. By all means let us do it if 

 possible, but if the kinds of fish now caught and thrown away were 

 all utilized for food, the fisheries would be " sped " without seriously 

 competing with other essential things. 



As a striking case in point it is appropriate to mention the re- 

 cently developed demand for whale meat. The shore whale fisheries 

 of the Pacific coast have been prosecuted for a number of years for 

 the yield of oil and some minor products. The flesh of the whales 

 caught, when not used for fertilizer, was thrown away, but during 

 1917 it was placed on the market for food purposes and its excellence 

 created a demand which the supply was not able to satisfy. The 



