Fishy facts - goodnews - sardines, scrod, Atlantic salmon - Brief Article

Better Nutrition, Sept, 2003

Myth: Sardines are a species of fish.

Truth: There's actually no such fish as a sardine.

"Sardine" is actually a term that refers to a variety of small fish--of various species--that have been processed and canned. The name derives frown the Mediterranean island of Sardinia.

So-called sardines from Denmark and Norway, for example, are usually brisling and silds. Those from Maine are, in fact, small herrings. When you buy sardines from France, Portugal or Spain, you're really getting pilchards, a smaller and fatter variety of herring.

Also, have you ever heard of a scrod? You guessed it: There's no such thing as a scrod either. The name comes from a Middle Dutch word, "schrode," meaning a strip or shred. In New England, scrod are very young cod or haddock, weighing only a pound or two.

And while we're on the subject, Atlantic salmon isn't really a salmon at all. It's actually a member of the genus salmo, or trout family. The misnomer is now so widely accepted that it would only cause confusion to rename the species. So those who buy Atlantic salmon aren't getting salmon at all.