FISH 



2186 



FISH 



1. Spinous portion of dorsal fln 



2. Soft portion of dorsal fln 



3. Caudal fln 



4. Anal fln 



5. Pectoral fln 



PARTS OF A FISH 



6. Ventral fln 



7. Mandible or lower jaw 



8. Premaxillary 



9. Opercle 



10. Cheek . 



11. Lateral line 



12. Snout 



13. Eye 



14. Head 



15. Depth 



16. End of last caudal vertebra 



on opening. Canned fish should be eaten at 

 once, as when taken from the can it does not 

 keep well and is subject to growth of injuri- 

 ous, if not decidedly poisonous, organisms. 



Of the various shell fish, oysters are the 

 most easily digested and the most nutritious. 

 Lobsters and crabs, although highly valued 

 for their flavor, are not readily digested. It 

 is agreed by authorities on diet that fish is 

 not found on the table in the homes of the 

 United States and Canada as often as its food 

 value warrants. The average composition of 

 fresh fish is as follows: refuse, consist- 

 ing of skin and bones, 42% ; water, 44% ; pro- 

 tein, 10.5%; fat, 2.5%; mineral matter, 1%. 

 It has a fuel value averaging 300 calories per 

 pound (see CALORIE). 



There is a widespread belief that fish is par- 

 ticularly valuable as a brain food, based on 

 the presumption that fish contains more phos- 

 phorus than any meats. This, however, is 

 not correct, as analysis shows no more phos- 

 phorus in fish than in other animal foods. 

 Authorities agree also that even if phos- 

 phorus were present in unusual quantities that 

 would not make fish more desirable, as phos- 

 phorus is not more essential to the brain 

 than nitrogen, potassium and other properties 

 of food. 



Fish Culture. As the demand for fish has in- 

 creased it has been found more and more 

 necessary to increase and preserve the stock 

 to prevent extermination. This particularly 

 applies to inland bodies of water and to 

 streams. Shellfish are, however, the most care- 



fully cultivated of all sea foods. The world's 

 supply of oysters would long ago have been 

 exhausted had it not been for practical pres- 

 ervation and culture. 



Fish culture has been practiced in China 

 from ancient times. In most European coun- 

 tries it is now an important industry, either 

 directly supported or encouraged by the gov- 

 ernment. In Canada there are many private 

 establishments for the purpose of hatching, 

 rearing and protecting fish, but the stock of 

 inland waters has been so little drawn upon 

 that the government has not seriously taken 

 up the question of fish culture, except in the 

 eastern provinces. In the United States, which 

 leads the world in fish culture, a fish commis- 

 sion directly responsible to the Federal gov- 

 ernment maintains thirty-six hatcheries. Here 

 the fishes' eggs are collected and hatched, the 

 young fish, or "fry," being distributed among 

 the waters most in need of restocking. The 

 hatcheries of the United States Fish Commis- 

 sion handle and distribute yearly over 4,000,- 

 000,000 fish of all species. In addition to this 

 commission, nearly every state has its com- 

 mission, with hatcheries for restocking state 

 waters. In Canada the fisheries are controlled 

 by the Department of Marine and Fisheries. 



Fishing Laws. To prevent the extermina- 

 tion of certain species of fish it has been found 

 necessary from time to time to regulate and 

 limit fishing as to time, and in some cases to 

 the number of fish that may be taken. Sea 

 fisheries are regulated by international laws, 

 which have led to considerable friction in the 



