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Pilchards have been 'sexed up' at Newlyn and re-born as sardines - and
the name-change has seen sales soar.
Pilchards and sardines are in fact the same fish but the species has
been re-invented and re-branded at the Newlyn Pilchard Works where Marks
& Spencer and Waitrose now rank among its customers. Seafood specialist
for M &S, Andrew Mallison said: "We were talking about how we
could extend our range of fish, particularly local species. We contacted
the Pilchard Works who realised that the fish was seen as rather old-fashioned
and not very sexy - something you see in a tin with tomato sauce.
"We knew they were the same species as the sardine. In fact their
Latin name is Sardina Pilchardus, so the next thing was to see if we could
legally call them sardines.
Nick and Marie Howell who run the Pilchard Works contacted Cornwall Trading
Standards officers while M &S did the same nationally. All were happy
with the name change and the pilchard was reborn as the sardine. The transformation
from what was seen as boring food to healthy, Mediterranean food has seen
rocketing sales.
"When we started to sell grilled pilchards, there wasn't much response,"
said Nick Howell. "But when we called them grilled sardines, sales
took off."
His wife added: "Before this they were mainly being worked as salted
fish for the Italian market, where they were very popular. By calling
it a sardine it now appeals more to the market of today."
She explained: "When they're not in tomato sauce, pilchards are
actually very tasty - and they're healthy, sustainable and locally caught.
But it's taken the rebranding for them to catch on."
Traditionally, it is sardines more than 6 inches long which are known
as pilchards, while the smaller ones are called sardines.
At Marks & Spencer the Newlyn sardines are now on sale at around
half of the company's stores, either fresh in packs or in a marinade as
part of its recipe range.
They are labelled 'sardines' - only in the small print are they described
as Cornish sardines.
Mr Mallison remarked: "They are actually very good, particularly
on a barbecue. It's a nice succulent, oily fish, very healthy and sustainable
for Mediterranean style cooking."
He explained: "The pilchard fishery is sustainable, with no quota,
and we have been working with the fishermen so they have bought cotton
rather than monofilament nets which cause less damage to the catch and
are biodegradable."
The humble pilchard was once a mainstay of the Cornish fishing industry,
providing jobs for thousands of fishermen.
At the end of the 19th century, Newlyn alone was handling thousands of
tonnes of pilchards a year. In 1871, 16,000 tons were exported.
The boom lasted until tastes began to change in the 1930's. Now, with
the new bulk orders, pilchard fishing is enjoying a comeback.
A few years ago there were often no pilchard boats working from Cornish
ports but now Newlyn and Mevagissey can boast a combined fleet of around
a dozen.
article copyright © THE CORNISHMAN
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