Studies on the Indian sardine oil

Sardines along with other Clupeids comprise nearly 20% of the total catch \nwhich is roughly one million tons per annum. Among the sardines the \noil sardines {Sardinella longiceps) form the most important group along \nthe West Coast and the fishery spreads over October-March. During the \nheavy seasons the bulk of the catch is utilized for the manufacture of fish \noil and fish guano. The correct assessment of the oil production is not \npossible as it is manufactured by the private merchants all along the coast. \nA rough estimate is possible from the oil sardine landings. The approximate \npercentage of the extractable oil from fresh sardines is 5%. The general \nmethod which has undergone very little improvement since its inception \nwhich dates back as far as forty years (1921) consists in boiling the fish with \nwater in large iron pans over open fire and pressing the boiled mass in coir \nbags with the aid of vertical screw presses. The liquid is drained into settling \ntanks which are interconnected at top and bottom for the separation of oil \nand water. The separated oil is stored in tins or tanks until it is finally \nexported. The oil so prepared is mostly used for painting boats and for \ntempering steel. The versatile uses of the fish-body oils and their products \nhave not assumed much importance in India, due to its uncertain quality \nand the non-availability of the good oil.