BUCHAREST, Dec. 3 (Xinhua) -- Romania's smoked Danube mackerel on Monday received the status of the Protected Geographical Indication (PGI), becoming the fifth national product certified under European quality systems.
The European Commission approved the entry of the "smoked Danube mackerel" in the register of products with the PGI status, Romania's official Agerpres news agency cited a release from the European executive as reporting.
The Danube mackerel is a wild fish that migrates from the Black Sea to the Danube. The species can not be grown in aquaculture and is captured only during migration on the Danube. It has 250-400 grams and 25-30 centimeters in size and is recognized as fish with the highest fat content in the world.
The smoked Danube mackerel is prepared as a whole, after cleaning, salted and cold-smoked according to a traditional method to preserve a large amount of the fish fats, from the defined geographical area. Smoked fish are golden, metallic, due to the smoking process.
For locals in the Danube Delta, fishing is the main and oldest occupation. Therefore, this activity is well rooted in the culture of the Danube Delta, while at the same time it is a characteristic feature of the memory of the numerous tourists from all over the world who visit the region.
Romania had so far four products certified under European quality systems: the Topoloveni plum jam, the Sibiu salami, the smoked bighead carp fillet from the Barsa County and the Ibanesti white cheese.
