Sardines (also known as pilchards) are a nutrient-rich, small,oily fish widely consumed by humans and asforage fish by larger fish species, seabirds and marine mammals. Sardines are a source ofomega-3 fatty acids. Sardines can be canned, pickled,smoked, or eaten fresh.

The termsardine was first used in English during the early 15th century, and may come from the Mediterranean island ofSardinia, around which sardines were once abundant.^[1]

The termssardine andpilchard are not precise, and what is meant depends on the region. The United Kingdom'sSea Fish Industry Authority, for example, classifies sardines as young pilchards.^[2] One criterion suggests fish shorter in length than 6 inches (15 cm) are sardines, and larger ones pilchards.^[3] TheFAO/WHO Codex standard forcanned sardines cites 12 species in the Order of Clupeiformes that may be classed as sardines, includingAtlantic herring (Clupea harengus), andbrisling sardine (Sprattus sprattus);^[4]FishBase, a comprehensive database of information about fish, calls at least six species just 'pilchard', over a dozen just 'sardine', and many more with both those two basic names qualified by various adjectives.

Sardines arecommercially fished for a variety of uses: bait, immediate consumption, canning, drying, salting, smoking, and reduction intofish meal orfish oil. The chief use of sardines is for human consumption. Fish meal is used as animal feed, while sardine oil has many uses, including the manufacture ofpaint,varnish, andlinoleum.

Sardines are rich invitamins andminerals. A small serving of sardines once a day can provide up to 13% of theRDA (recommended daily allowance) value ofvitamin B₂, roughly one-quarter of the RDA of niacin, and about 150% of the RDA ofvitamin B₁₂.^[7] All B vitamins help to support propernervous system function and are used for energy metabolism, or converting food into energy.^[8] Also, sardines are high in the major minerals such asphosphorus, calcium,potassium, and some trace minerals such asiron andselenium. Sardines are also a natural source of marineomega-3 fatty acids, which reduce the occurrence of cardiovascular disease.^[9] Recent studies suggest the regular consumption of omega-3 fatty acids reduces the likelihood of developingAlzheimer's disease and can even boost brain function.^[10][11] These fatty acids may also help lower blood sugar levels a small amount.^[12] They are also a good source ofvitamin D,^[13]calcium, andprotein.

Because they are low in the food chain, sardines are very low in contaminants, such asmercury, relative to other fish commonly eaten by humans.^[14]

Typical can of sardines, in salt water

Sealed

Opened

Sardines are canned in many different ways. At the cannery, the fish are washed, their heads are removed, and then smoked or cooked, either by deep-frying or by steam-cooking, after which they are dried. They are then packed in eitherolive,sunflower, orsoybean oil; water; or in atomato,chili, ormustard sauce.^[15][16]

Canned sardines in supermarkets may actually besprat (such as the“brisling sardine”) orround herrings. Fish sizes vary by species. Good-quality sardines should have thehead andgills removed before packing.^[4] They may also beeviscerated before packing (typically the larger varieties). If not, they should be purged of undigested or partially digested food orfeces by holding the live fish in a tank long enough for them to empty their digestive systems.^[4]

Sardines are typically tightly packed in a small can which is scored for easy opening, either with a pull tab like that on abeverage can or with akey attached to the bottom or side of the can. Thus, it has the benefit of being an easily portable, nonperishable, self-contained food.

The close packing of sardines in the can has led to their metaphorical use in the term "packed like sardines" to describe any situation where people or objects are crowded tightly together such as in abus ornightclub. It has also been used asthe name of a children's game, where one person hides and each successive person who finds the hidden one packs into the same space until only one is left out, who becomes the next one to hide.^[17]

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There is a sardine fishery in Australia harvesting the speciesSardinops sagax. The species occurs—in temperate waters, from inshore waters to the edge of the continental shelf, down to depths of about 200 metres—south fromHervey Bay, in Queensland toShark Bay in Western Australia. Although there is a market for fresh fish for human consumption and fish processed as canned pet food, increasingly, it is mainly used to feedSouthern bluefin tuna held insea cages.^[18][19][20]

The last remaining sardine packing plant in North America is inBlacks Harbour, New Brunswick. The Brunswick brand, which started as the Connors Brothers in the 1880s, produces sardines (actually, juvenile herring,Clupea harengus) with many flavours.^[21][22] Brunswick claims to be the largest sardine producer in the world.

In theTimanfaya Volcanic National Park onLanzarote in theCanary Islands, a popular tourist snack is freshly caught sardines grilled over theheat from a volcanic vent.

Fishing for sardela or sardina (Sardina pilchardus) on the coasts ofDalmatia andIstria began thousands of years ago. The region was part of theRoman Empire, then largely aVenetian dominion, and has always been sustained through fishing mainly sardines. All along the coast, many towns promote the age-old practice of fishing bylateen sail boats fortourism and on festival occasions. Today, industrial producers continue this tradition.^{[clarification needed]} Currently, the four factories of canned sardines are inRovinj,Zadar,Postira, andSali (the latter founded in 1905). Several famous dishes made with sardines include, for instance,komiška pogača (a pie with salted sardines and tomato sauce),saur orinšavor (sardines fried and then cooled, seasoned with olive oil, vinegar, garlic, black pepper and rosemary) and sardines roasted on stick from Sali,dugi otok.

Pilchard (Sardina pilchardus) fishing and processing was a thriving industry inCornwall from around 1750 to around 1880, after which it went into an almost terminal decline. However, as of 2007, stocks are improving.^[23] Since 1997, sardines from Cornwall have been sold as "Cornish sardines", and since March 2010, under EU law, Cornish sardines haveProtected Geographical Status.^[24] The industry has featured in numerous works of art, particularly byStanhope Forbes and otherNewlyn School artists. A traditional Cornish pilchard dish isstargazy pie.

Sardine fishing and canning is a traditional industry inBrittany, where most French canneries remain. The area is known as the place where sardine canning was invented.Douarnenez was the world's leading sardine exporter in the 19th century. The sardines are fried, dried, and then canned (this traditional process is labelledpréparées à l'ancienne), whereas in most other countries, processing consists of steam cooking after canning.

Small oily fish like sardines have been a staple of the Greek diet since antiquity. Popular especially during the summer months of July and August, and praised as a high-quality healthy food source of protein andOmega-3 fatty acids, sardines are mostly consumed grilled with lemon and garlic, or cured in salt and olive oil (παστές, pastés). Both dishes are standard items in Greek-style seaside "taverna" restaurants, or in smaller establishments served as a treat (μεζές,meze) usually accompanied byouzo. This does not leave out other ways of cooking sardines with local recipes and varieties.

The place most associated with sardines and their consumption asouzomeze (ουζομεζές i.e. meze treat with ouzo) is the island ofLesvos. A fine kind of the fish calledpapalina thrives in the island's wide bay ofKalloni, and ouzo production has been a long tradition in the area ofPlomari. A handful of manufacturers of Lesvos produce and export canned sardines, considered a local delicacy.

"Sardine festivals" are celebrated during summertime in Lesvos, as well as in many fishing communities elsewhere in Greece, which emphasize folklore aspects of traditional life and music, and allow for various amounts of fish consumption.

The sardine is a favorite food of the people ofKarnataka,Kerala,Andhra Pradesh,Tamil Nadu andGoa. The fish is typically eaten fresh, and canned sardines are not popular. Fried sardines are a much sought-after delicacy. They are calledmathi (Malayalam: മത്തി)(Tamil: மத்தி) orchāla (Malayalam: ചാള) (Tamil: சாளை) inKerala andTamil Nadu . In Andhra Pradesh, they are calledkavallu amongst the fishing community. In West Bengal, they are calledkhoira (Bengali: খয়রা). People from coastal Karnataka and Goa call themtarle (Konkani) orbhootai (Tulu). Sardines are cheaper in India than larger fish likeseer orpomfret, making them a low-cost delicacy. They are consumed in various forms, including deep-fried and pan-fried preparations, or made intocurries of various types.

Owing to proximity withSardinia, both the northern and southern regions of Italy claim main courses or appetizers with sardine fish as a primary ingredient.Sicily's regional dish,pasta con le sarde, is aspaghetti orbucatini entree with sardines, fennel seed, saffron, raisins, garlic, onion, olive oil, white wine, lemon juice, pureed tomato, toasted breadcrumbs, and crushed almonds. InVenice,sardines in saor is anantipasto that consists of sardine steaks marinated in white wine, raisins, and vinegar, subsequently covered in flour and fried in olive oil, then garnished with parsley, onions, crushed almonds, and raisins.

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  Driedniboshi (sardines) in and out of the package, used in Japanese cooking
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  Young sardines on rice
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  Sardines with lemon
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  A Japanese dish with garlic,wakame, soy sauce, and "oil saldina"

• See alsoTatami iwashi

Morocco is the largest canned sardine exporter in the world and the leading supplier of sardines to the European market. Sardines represent more than 62% of the Moroccan fish catch and account for 91% of raw material usage in the domestic canning industry. Some 600,000 tonnes of fresh sardines are processed each year by the industry. FamousMoroccan recipes include Moroccan fried stuffed sardines and Moroccan sardine balls in spicy tomato sauce.

Until the discovery ofoil fields in the fishing areas, sardine canning was the main activity of the city ofStavanger. Today, only a sardine museum remains among the refineries in Stavanger.

Peru has a long history of direct human consumption ofEngraulis ringens and other sardines, reaching into ancient cultures, includingChimú culture,Paracas culture,Pachacamac, and most importantly the oldest known civilization in the Americas, theCaral-Supe civilization, which was based almost completely onE. ringens consumption. Nonetheless, since the 1950s, the overwhelming destination for capturedE. ringens (anchoveta or Peruvian sardine) has been as the principal input for reduction fishery in the production offishmeal andfish oil, with minuscule quantities destined for direct human consumption. Due to a combination of environmental and regulatory effects, since 2000, the Peruvian catch has ranged from 9.58 million metric tons (MT) to a low of 5.35 million MT, with the reported 2009 catch concluding at 5.35 million MT.^[25] In recent years, direct human consumption (local and for export) has reached about 110,000 MT (about 2% of catch) due to evangelical promotion of health, environmental, and economic benefits, such asMistura 2010, coupled with government and NGO activities, e.g.www.anchoveta.info, and private-sector offers from local supermarkets.

Known mainly as "sardinas" regardless of the actual species, sardines are a staple especially of lower-class families in the Philippines due to their relatively cheap prices. They are also commonly used as relief goods in times of disaster. Sardines are among those fished by coastal communities, such as those who live inManila Bay.

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  Sardine fish being dried under the Sun in Cavite, Philippines

Sardines play an important role inPortuguese cuisine andculture. Historically a people who depend heavily on the sea for food and commerce, the Portuguese have a predilection for fish in their popular festivities. The most important isSaint Anthony's day, June 13, when Portugal's biggest popular festival takes place inLisbon, where grilled sardines are the snack of choice. Almost every place in Portugal, fromFigueira da Foz toPortalegre, fromPóvoa de Varzim toOlhão, has the summertime tradition of eating grilled sardines (sardinhas assadas).

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  Portuguese grilled sardines on lettuce, with potato
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  Grilled sardines with tomato and potato, Portugal
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  Grilled sardines with potato and salad, Portugal

On the Atlantic coast, fried sardines are commonly served astapas with drinks or as the first course of a meal. On the Mediterranean coast, grilling is more common. In Spain, sardine canning processes have been described since the 19th century, with the first mass production factories established inIsla Cristina andAyamonte in 1888, in response to those previously set up in Vila Real de Santo António (Portugal) primarily for canning sardines (and tuna).

Overfishing of this species is bringing it closer to the danger of extinction in theIberian Peninsula.[1]

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  Sardines with lemon, Spain
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  Pickled sardines at a market on the Spanish island of Majorca

Sardines (sardalya inTurkish), a delicacy in Turkish cuisine, are very commonly found in fish markets throughout coastal western regions of Turkey. They are generally prepared grilled or steamed in ovens, most commonly served as a main course alongside alcoholic beverages, most notablyrakı, the archetypal Turkish liquor. Particularly in theGallipoli peninsula and in theAegean region ofTurkey, sardines are oven-cooked rolled in grape leaves. They are also canned especially in factories in coastal cities such asIstanbul,Gelibolu,Çanakkale,Bandırma,Karadeniz Ereğli,Ordu, andTrabzon.

In the United States, the sardine canning industry peaked in the 1950s. Since then, the industry has been on the decline. The last large sardine cannery in the United States, the Stinson Seafood plant inProspect Harbor,Maine, closed its doors on April 15, 2010, after 135 years in operation.^[26] During theCOVID-19 pandemic, sardines and other tinned fish enjoyed a resurgence, including the establishment of boutique manufacturers.^[27]

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  Sardines and tomato on toast
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  Sardines in olive oil and tomato sauce
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  Cornish pilchards salted and packed in crates for shipping to Italy

• Cannery Row, Monterey, California
• List of smoked foods
• Sardine, an article on the fish
• Sardine run, an event in South Africa
• Xouba a small sardine from Spain

Wikimedia Commons has media related toSardine dishes.

• Sardines -Seafood Watch,Monterey Bay Aquarium

• Clupeidae
• Commercial fish
• Oily fish
• Smoked fish
• Portuguese cuisine
• Types of food

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