Fiti i sild veidd í norður atlantshavsinum og á firðum í Føroyum: Fat content of Atlanto*Scandian herring and faroese Fjordherring

Abstract

During the period 1952—1958 fresh and salted middlessized Atlantos Scandian herring caught north of the Faroe Islands (64°—68° N., 4°— 12° V.) has been examined for content of fat.

4. table shows that the lowest content of fat (7,9 per cent) of fresh herring was found in the month of may. In the course of june and july the fat content increased rapidly reaching its highest level (19,5 per cent) about the lst of august. The decline sets in about lst of november.

The graphic representation is made on basis of the figures in 4. table including some figures from norwegian investigations of middlesized herring. Fresh herring was examined with head and intestines.

The fat content of salted herring was slightly above 20 per cent from the end of july till the end of september, falling to 19,9 per cent in oktober and to 18,8 per cent at ihe beginning of november. Salted herring was examined beheaded and without stomach. Due to this fact and the shrinkage by salting the fat content of salted herring is slightly higher than that of fre^h herring.

7. table shows the size of the herring during the períod 1953—1957. It appears that the quantity of big herring (minimum weight: 255 g pr. salted herring) has decreased from 95 per cent of the total production in 1953 to 47,6 per cent in 1957. At the same time the quantity of middle=sized and small herring increased considerably.

A few samples of fjordherring has been examined. The result shown in 8. table seems to demonstrate that the content of fat of fjordherring has a similar seasonal variation as in Atlanto=Scandian herring. Difference of fat content of big and small herring is so considerable at the same season (samples no. 13 and no. 14) that future investigation will have to divide the material into different size^groups examining each group separately.