The Sardines Industry in Monterey

It was during World War I that the government recognized the value of the canned sardine as cheap nutritious food for the troops. In 1918 a record output of 1,400,000 cases of sardines was shipped. New canneries began opening to keep up with the demand. In 1921 a total of 17 sardine reduction plants began opening up and was an important part of the industry that turned it into big business. The sardine reduction plants ground up whole fish and processed it to produce feed for chickens, fish meal, used in paints, glycerin for explosives and in salad oils. The sardine industry was worth $22,000,000 by 1945 and employed 5000 Montereyans.
The decline of the Monterey sardine industry was caused by a combination of over fishing and from the very efficient sardine reduction plants that were mostly automated and used any size fish

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• sardines
• supply
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• monterey