Saraghine

Adler Sprats at Slow Cheese 2011.

Twelve and twenty, more than plenty, sprats, salted and packed.  Turned out to look like cake.

Aren't these cool?  

Mmm. Sprats (or saraghine) from Adler in Cesenatico (province of Forlì–Cesena) are (to quote Slowfish) "a classic example of a “poor” fish turned into an excellent product".  They are unique, delicious, and (as wonderful as they are) if you have access to fresh.. even better.

Adler, together with fishermen and seafood businesses from Emilia-Romagna who belong to the Prodotto Certificato Alto Adriatico” (PCAA) 'brand', promote the sustainable development of the fishing industry.  They also guarantee traceability, ecosystem protection and biodiversity conservation.

You can do you bit as well simply by using this guide when shopping for fish. 

I'll use the above as an example of the ideal compared to the current the situation, in particular, amendments to the Fisheries Act here in Canada.  Former Fisheries ministers, four of them, have written to our current Federal government in protest along with leading scientists in the field urging reconsideration.

I find it disturbing that any government would choose to ignore good advice.  Advice they would normally be willing to pay for (using taxpayer dollars) in the form of lengthy and expensive commissioned studies.  And judging from these closures, they also must believe that they don't need the information gathered by credible research stations.  Do they really believe that what you don't know won't hurt you?    

So what can I take from the Federal Tory government's actions?  Obviously, water isn't important. Send the PM and the Ministers to one of the many places on Earth where water is scarce and what is collected (rainwater) has to be boiled.  Send them to a country where the water is undrinkable.  We are fortunate and shouldn't allow those conditions to be created here. Shame.

Canadians, please let your MP know.