Wild PlanetWild Sardines in Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Lightly Smoked - 4.4oz Can (Pack of 12)

Wiz Dood--you can't have looked very far because both "The Pilchard Works" and "Connetable"'s brand of sardine FILLETS are in extra virgin olive oil and have been for sale on line for a few years now!And by the way when selling sardines in Europe, unless the sardines are of European origin i.e. of the species sardina pilchardus, the manufacturers have to say where the fish originate from--Pacific, South Atlantic (South Africa) etc. Stock levels of European sardines are excellent and the fisheries in Cornwall, France and Portugal all have Marine Stewardship Council status as being sustainably managed.European sardines --Sardina pilchardus-- have always been rated as being the best tasting of the clupidae sub genus known as sardines with Pacific sardines and South African sardines come a close second.Because European sardines have been so highly regarded the name, the word "sardine" itself, on its own, can only be used on EU sold products if it is of the species sardine pilchardus. Some manufacturers who use other sub species of the same fish family have tried to disguise or mask the fact that the fish that they use is different with clever wording or claims. There are some good products out there which are not European sardines but there is also quite a lot of canned "sardine" rubbish on the market, not only in species used ---some are herrings, some are sprats and some are anchovies-- but also in the second quality, cheap processing used. 95% of what is on offer has been through a modern industrial canning process where the fish and ingredients are put in the tin raw and literally cooked in the can. Which is why some of them taste like boiled fish.....Traditional canning is very different and preserves and enhances the flavour. It is more labour intensive and so more expensive to produce but teh taste is very different. I mustn't say anymore because I have a pecuniary interest in that I am involved in the sardine---sardina pilchardus ---business!