64 THE FISHING INDUSTRY 



The brine pickle which is formed during the eight 

 days is not allowed to run to waste, but is used for 

 filling up the barrels after they have been repacked. 

 This brine pickle contains amino bases, together with 

 small quantities of coagulable proteids, and is of distinct 

 nutritive value. The Poles and Russians, who are 

 great consumers of these salted herrings, actually use 

 the pickle as a kind of sauce or gravy, dipping their bread 

 in it. This, together with the general demand for salted 

 herrings in these two countries, may very largely be due 

 to the comparative scarcity and high price of salt there. 



A cran of herrings (about 1,000 fish, weighing 

 approximately 3 cwts.) uses up 1 cwt. of salt and, 

 when completely salted, just fills a barrel. The curer 

 estimates that 5 to 6 tons of salt will be sufficient for 

 100 crans of herrings. Herrings salted in this propor- 

 tion should be exported and consumed before the warm 

 weather comes, as they are liable to decay if the tempera- 

 ture rises above 70 F. The herrings that were packed 

 for the British Government (1920-1921) were salted more 

 heavily than usual (7 to 8 tons of salt per 100 crans), 

 as, owing to the uncertain condition of the Russian and 

 German markets, it was necessary to keep some of the 

 fish in stock for a considerable time. Such a heavily- 

 salted fish would be unpalatable to the home consumer. 



In Yarmouth and Lowestoft, and also in Scotland, 100 

 crans of herrings should fill, when cured, from 125 to 

 130 barrels. 



Herrings are sometimes salted at sea, 1 ton of salt 

 being used to each last (10 crans) of herrings. Such 

 herrings are mostly used to make " red herrings." 



Red Herrings. A considerable trade in red herrings 

 is done with the Mediterranean and the Levant. For 

 this trade, the fish must be thoroughly smoke-cured, other- 

 wise they will not keep in the comparatively warm climate. 



