18 GOBIES OF THE PHILIPPINES 



about the origin of ipon and see the necessity for regulation 

 of the industry. 



The ipon industry, properly regulated, could be as permanent 

 as the production of carabaos, hogs, chickens, or any other live- 

 stock industry, and would be a permanent asset of vast benefit 

 to future generations. Without such regulation, the increase 

 in population and the increased amount of fishing incident 

 thereto will soon see the extermination of ipon. When the 

 ipon enter fresh water they grow darker in color and their 

 flavor changes, until in some species the flesh is actually bitter. 

 Meanwhile the people capture as many as possible, using all 

 sorts of nets, and even dip them up with buckets as they crowd 

 along the river shores. The enormous surplus has been 

 handled since remote times by converting it into bagoong. 



Bagoong is a sort of fish sauerkraut or fish silage, and was 

 invented by the Malays in remote antiquity. It is a cheap and 

 convenient method of preserving fish in the hot moist climate 

 of the rainy Tropics. Under various names it is known from the 

 Malay Peninsula throughout the East Indies. In the Philip- 

 pines it is called guinamos by the Visayans, but is more widely 

 known by the name bagoong than by any other. 



To make bagoong a layer of salt is placed in a clean tight 

 vessel, then a layer of fish, then another layer of salt, and so on 

 until the vessel is filled. It is then covered tightly and set away. 

 Fermentation goes on just as in sauerkraut, until arrested by the 

 acids excreted by the fermentative bacteria. At the end of 

 a month the bagoong is ripe and ready to use. By that time 

 it possesses a powerful, penetrating, and characteristic odor 

 all its own; if clean and well made it is a wholesome article 

 of food which supplies the necessary protein as well as flavor 

 and pungency to the monotonous rice diet of the people. 



Various kinds of small fishes and shrimps are used in making 

 bagoong, but by far the greatest amount is made from ipon. 

 In making bagoong huge, small-mouthed crockery jars are used, 

 holding from 37.5 to 75 liters each. In some Ilocano towns the 

 making of bagoong is conducted much like an old-time husking 

 or quilting bee, all the housewives gathering at the community 

 house to help one another in this important and very necessary 

 operation. When the jars are all filled and closed they are 

 stored beneath the community house for the bagoong to ripen. 



A common method of closing the jar is binding the top with 

 banana leaves. If this is not well done, the splitting of the 

 dried leaves may allow flies to enter, or careless people may not . 



