MAINE SARDINE INDUSTRY. 15 
COMPOSITION OF THE SEA HERRING. 
The average composition of the fresh herring, as determined from 
results obtained throughout the season, is given in Table 3. 
TABLE 3.—Average composition of sea herring. 
Fat Ash i 
ing. Water. | Protein. | (ether | (minera 
me extract).!) matter). 
Per cent. | Per cent. | Per cent. | Per cent. 
ToD 19.5 6.5 1.5 
JO ie Cos eee amen Smee Ue Os SAME wR atc Mie ered gi Ae 68.5 14.3 16.0 1.2 
1 The fat content of these fish may vary from 5 to 18 per cent during the packing season. 
VARIATION IN Fat AND WATER CONTENT OF THE FISH. 
Several investigators have noted the fact that the fat content of 
fish varies with the season, being noticeably low in the spring. Few 
analyses showing the difference in composition and seasonal variation 
in the fat content of fish have, however, been reported. According 
to Dr. John Hjort, director of fisheries of Norway (12), the maximum 
fat content, 15.52 per cent, in the Norwegian sardine (the brisling) is 
found in September, and the minimum amount, 4.65 per cent, in 
April. The amount of fat stored up in the muscular tissue and 
viscera of the herring during the summer is consumed during the 
winter. Conversely, the water content is lower during the summer 
than in the winter months. This fish is inferior in quality through 
the winter, or period of low fat content. In discussing the quality 
of fish used for packing sardines, Dr. Hjort stated that “The quality 
of all three species, herring, brisling, and pilchard, is a feature which. 
changes with age and season.” 
H. Lichtenfelt (15) states that the muscular tissue of fish changes in 
composition at definite periods of the year, the fat content depending 
on the age of the fish, the food eaten, and the spawning season. 
During the hunger period (scarcity of food) the percentage of water 
increases, while that of dry matter and of protein decrease. 
Milroy (18) found great differences in the composition of the muscles 
of fish of larger size than are commonly used for sardines, taken from 
the same waters in different months. The percentage of fat in fish, 
the ovaries of which were immature, was in the summer about the 
same as the average for herring. During August, September, and 
October the percentage of fat continued to increase. It decreased 
slightly in November, more in December, and most markedly during 
Spawning, continuing at a low level until the fish began to feed again. 
This investigator points out the probability that the decrease in fat 
in the muscle tissues of the fish is accompanied by an increase in the 
water content. 
