New sardine plant
state-of-the-art processing plant for sardines in Woodland,
Washington.
Pacific Seafood's, the US-based fish processor, has opened a state-of-the-art processing plant for sardines in Woodland, Washington.
Pacific Seafood and Del Mar Sea Food has formed a joint venture to build the $6.5 million (€6.5m) plant and equip it to process giant sardines for export to the Japan market. The company is hoping to eventually make the bigger fish as much a grocery store staple as their oil-packed smaller cousins.
"When we say sardines, we think about fish about as big as our middle finger that goes into cans," said Larz Malony, manager of the international section of Pacific Seafood.
These bigger fish are about 8 inches long and are usually found off the coast of Japan. A 50-year cycle of shifting currents has brought the fish just a few miles off the Washington coast.
"A lot of us have never really seen fish like this in our waters," said Malony.
The Woodland plant employs more than 100. It is situated next to Columbia Colstor, where the fish is frozen quickly and kept in ideal conditions until the sardines can be taken to the Port of Portland, where they are shipped in containers overseas.
"We have the product graded and packed and frozen all within a 24-hour period," Malony said.
It is an arrangement that will be going on for some time. Malony expects "a good strong 10 years of this biomass gaining before it starts going down." Then the fish will head back to Asia, their next phase in the 50-year cycle of ocean currents.
For now, Japan is eager to buy its fish back, and Malony is eager to sell. Under his name and title, his business card has a few Japanese characters, too.
Though almost all the sardines will be used for bait, blue fin tuna are picky eaters. Japanese inspectors will visit the plant to make sure the fish are as fresh as possible. They will look at their eyes and gills to make sure the sardines look alive, which Japanese fishermen say is the only way to lure tuna.
Only 10 per cent to 20 per cent of the fish are currently used for food, mostly in Asian countries. Malony said sardines' health benefits may increase their popularity.
