FAO Fisheries Circular No. 999
FIIU/C999 (En)

MINCED SARDINELLA FILLETS IN FISH LANDING AND MARKETING SITES IN SENEGAL

by
Yvette Diei-Ouadi
Fishery Industry Officer
Fish Utilization and Marketing Service
FAO Fisheries Department

FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
Rome, 2005

Table of Contents

The designations employed and the presentation of material in this information product do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations concerning the legal or development status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.

Diei-Ouadi, Y.
Minced sardinella fillets in fish-landing and marketing sites in Senegal.
FAO Fisheries Circular. No. 999. Rome, FAO. 2005. 20p.

ABSTRACT

Owing to their low value, small pelagics are generally neither iced nor chilled and large quantities are processed using traditional techniques. Most common products found in local markets were kethiak (roasted, salted and dried Ethmalosa or Sardinella), tambadiang and yauss (whole dried Ethmalosa). However, in the recent five years, a semi-finished product predominantly made up of minced fillets of sardinella (Sardinella aurita and S. maderensis) and bonga shad (Ethmalosa fimbriata) appeared in the fresh fish utilization scheme in Senegal and is steadily increasing in local beaches and markets.

Fish mincing activity is a substantial source of income for the poorer stratum of the population, and the end products from minced fish fillets contribute to food security of the whole community. Almost all operators are women that had a monthly net income which was much higher than the minimum wage in Senegal.

Taking into account the density of operators per site, there is more volume of fresh fish minced daily in Dakar central market (in Pikine) than processed in Pentium Senegal, the city’s largest processing centre.

A variety of minced fish end-products have been reported, including fish balls, sandwich of cooked minced sardinella, cakes, attractive presentations for salad and for main dish, stuffed eggs and wrapped eggs. They are consumed within households, in restaurants and chop bars or within the premises of schools and colleges. These products were from low-value fish species commonly considered as "fish for the poor". However, they have the advantages with regard to the whole fish from the same species, to be boneless (hence an easy intake), and practically indiscernible from the flesh of other fish species (the connotation "fish for the poor" is thus disguished.) These were important attracting factors for medium income groups in purchasing minced sardinella fillets, though the poorer among urban population are the major customers.

The various forms of products and consumption patterns represented significant potential niches for promoting these species or other underutilized fish in countries where they are landed in large quantities. Extension to rural areas in Senegal is another opportunity to increased utilization of fresh small pelagics. The promotion of ready-to-eat end products is the key to the success of the technology.

However the expansion of fish mincing and marketing requires that critical weaknesses be effectively addressed. These include a design of a safer and more durable mincing equipment, a use of a manual backbone remover, an adoption of a production flow diagram complying with good handling and good processing practices, a supply in basic facilities (potable water, regular removal of solid waste and drainage of waste water, toilets) at the processing and market places, and a refrigerated display to prevent losses if readily minced fillets are to be sold.