Do Sardines Have Tails?

If you’re a sardine newbie, you may be wondering if sardines have tails. Because fish are vertebrates, nearly all fish, including sardines, have a tail fin which allows them to swim. Depending on the brand of sardines you try, these tail fins may or may not be present in the can or jar. Some sardine manufacturers do remove the tails during the gutting process, when they also remove the heads, while others leave the tails intact. Even if the factory intended to remove the tails, it is not uncommon to still find a tail or two in your tin. 

So, should you eat the sardine tails? The answer is yes! Everything inside the package of sardines is edible, and sardine tails may actually contain a much higher percentage of those healthy omega-3 fatty acids than the rest of the fish! Sardine tails are small, soft, and virtually undetectable while eating, so feel free to eat the whole sardine, from tip to tail!