And if there are no sardines?

People can eat sardines all the time in Portugal!

They are better in the start of the summer, when there is the habit to grill them.

But they can definitely be good in other seasons and prepared in different ways. 

There is another good fish similar to sardines: the Atlantic chub-mackerel.

This fish is not so common among Portuguese habits.

Why?

In my opinion it is only about food habits and knowledge on how to cook it.

It is the same reason why people in Portugal eat so much bacalhau: 

because they had learned since long time ago how to cook it and then it is rooted in the Portuguese habits.

This fish is a "brother" of the Atlantic mackerel, which is a very popular fish in Scandinavia, usually eaten smoked or canned in tomato. 

But in Algarve almost half of the catch of this specie is wasted.

The same happens in other parts of Portugal.

The problem is that Atlantic chub-mackerel is catched together with sardine, in purse seine fishery, but it has low value in the market, so it is often discarded.

It is so cheap fish that does not enthusiasm fishmongers to sell it.

If 1 kg lets say cost around 1,5 €, maybe the fishmonger will get 1€ of profit.

It is not so much regarding the fact that fish retailers often sell more expensive fish.   

But Cavala Algarvia is a project that wants to promote the consumption of this fish.

In that way it pretends to change consumption habits and to use it in a more efficient way.

The project also includes the study of the biology to find if the minimum landing size is in accordance with the size of first reproduction age.

The project is in the TV.

Good job M.