"Don't worry, boss. I've already told everyone to give priority to the larger ones. All the sardines that have grown to 30 centimeters in size that we have seen so far are kept in a large water tank." Chen Qingsheng replied.
"By the way, Captain, would you like to send over some of those of normal size as well? I remember that sardines can be sold at a higher price after being canned." Chen Qingsheng asked.
Xiang Yang shook his head. "That's not necessary. After being canned, the price is indeed a little higher than frozen fish, but the labor cost has actually gone up. I just cast a net and caught 20 to 30 tons of sardines. Before we go back, even if the two production lines on the ship are processing day and night, it will be difficult to process all the sardines into cans."
In fact, sardines are not so easy to sell after being canned.
Fresh sardines are the best-selling and most valuable. They can be eaten in a variety of ways, such as braised, steamed, stewed in oil, and as sashimi, and many people like them.
Canned food, on the contrary, makes consumers feel that its nutrients have been lost.
The main reason why so many people who do deep-sea fishing like to process sardines into canned food or convenient foods such as fish balls and fish meal directly on the boat is that sardines are fat and fatty, from which high-quality fish oil can be extracted. Their inedible parts can also be processed into top-quality fish bait or cat food, all of which cost money.
Although Xiang Yang's ocean-going processing mothership can process sardines into fish balls or canned food, it is impossible to extract fish oil.
Without these two parts of profit, Xiang Yang was no longer obsessed with processing.
If the sardines can be transported back alive, then transport them back alive.
If the animals cannot be transported back alive, freezing them is also a good option.
After finishing the call with Chen Qingsheng, Xiang Yang put away the walkie-talkie and continued to join the crowd in cleaning the sardines in public.
"Chiu—"
At this moment, a loud eagle cry suddenly sounded in the sky.
The male Steller's sea eagle flapped its wings and landed unsteadily on the deck.
I saw it gracefully combing its feathers, then moving its two long eagle claws, walking to the pile of sardines, stretching its head forward, pecked a sardine, and then tilting its head back and swallowing it.
"What a jerk. He's been down there for so long but hasn't caught any fish?" Fang Youqun happened to be next to the Steller's sea eagle. After witnessing the eagle's actions with his own eyes, Fang Youqun said with a look of disgust.
Xiang Yang smiled and said, "Then you are wrongly accusing it. Look at its round belly. It is obvious that it has come here for a snack after exercising."
Sure enough, after swallowing another small sardine, the Steller's sea eagle stood on the deck with its head tilted, looking at the busy people, and stopped pecking at the sardines.
Xiang Yang waved his hand to drive the Steller's sea eagle aside, then threw a palm-sized sardine to it and let it play with it by itself so as not to disturb the crew's work.
Cleaning up twenty or thirty tons of fish is actually more difficult than moving twenty or thirty tons of bricks.
At least bricks are square, and with specific tools, you can usually remove dozens of them at a time.
Sardines are not only slippery, but you can only catch one at a time.
The most important thing is to apply crushed ice to each of the fish you catch.
The people on the boat were busy for several hours and were all exhausted and sweating. Everyone kept their mouths shut and did not mention anything about catching another net.
Finally, as night fell, the sardines on the deck were cleared away.
Xiang Yang shook his aching arm and said with a smile, "Thank you for your hard work today. Master Zhou, please remember that when we return, everyone will receive a bonus of 2,000 yuan, and all the wheel crew members will receive an additional 500 yuan."
Xiang Yang has never been a man of many words. Since he has made money, everyone can have some candy.
"Okay, the engine room crew today really deserves praise. I didn't ask them to come to the deck to help. Not a single person from the entire engine room crew was left out. They all came to the deck to help." Zhou Wang agreed with a smile.
The chief engineer's men don't need to participate in the work on the deck.
Even Xiang Yang had never asked the engine room crew to participate in the work on the deck.
Therefore, the crew members on the deck had no objection to the fact that the chief engineer's men received an extra bonus of 500 dollars over them. This was their job and others were there to help.
Not convinced
If you have the ability, learn some skills yourself and then apply to be transferred to the position of chief engineer.
Xiang Yang couldn't ask for more.
Although ordinary sailors are a bit tired, it is not difficult to recruit people with the salary offered by Xiang Yang.
But it’s different for the engine room crew.
This is a talented person. He will receive the best treatment no matter which ship he is on.
"Thank you, Captain." After receiving Xiang Yang's affirmation, the chief engineer's men also seemed very excited.
"Brother Yang, how about we eat sardines tonight?" Fang Youqun said at this time.
"Why, did you eat less before?" Xiang Yang asked with a smile.
"No, it's mainly because these things have made me tired all day. I'll feel uncomfortable if I don't take a bite of them." Fang Youqun said.
The rest of the crew nodded as well.
Xiang Yang also nodded and said, "Don't worry, you will definitely be indispensable to this sardine harvest. Now take a bath and rest in the cabin for a while. After that, we will prepare a sardine feast. When we return, I will give each of you ten cans of sardines and two kilograms of sardine balls. You can take them back and let your family taste them."
Not to mention canned sardines, which are very famous and sold well both at home and abroad.
Although canned sardines are not as famous as Nago fish balls, their prices are much higher than Nago fish balls. Generally, a string of three Nago fish balls costs only two dollars.
Sardines balls cost about two yuan each, which is three times the price of fish balls.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that sardine balls are better than fish balls.
Xiang Yang still thinks that nage fish balls are the most delicious fish balls, and nage fish is the most suitable sea fish for making fish balls.
Sardines balls are expensive because sardine meat is more expensive than anchovies, and the price is determined by the raw materials.
Soon, the crew took a shower and returned to the deck again.
Xiang Yang had people set up six or seven barbecue grills on the deck, and then had people move out a dozen boxes of beer from the warehouse, preparing a barbecue banquet to celebrate today's big harvest.
The crew members, who had worked hard all day, sat in front of the grill, chatting while grilling the delicious sardines. When they were tired of chatting, they raised their heads and drank a big sip of ice beer, with smiles written all over their faces. (To be continued)