Isinglass place of Russian isinglass. The bladders, once removed from the fish, processed, and dried, are formed into various shapes for use. Before the inexpensive production of gelatin and other competing products, isinglass was used in confectionery and desserts such as fruit jelly and "blancmange". Isinglass finings are widely used as a processing aid in the British brewing industry to accelerate the fining, or clarification, of beer. It is used particularly in the production of cask-conditioned beers, although a few cask ales are available which are not fined using isinglass. The finings flocculate the live yeast in the beer into a
Piracy off the coast of Venezuela 2017, piracy grew in Lake Maracaibo, with bandits attempting to rob and kill boaters in the area for their possessions. Croakers, valuable fish caught in the waters that contain swim bladders rich in collagen, are often targeted by pirates in the area to be sold in international markets. The Bolivarian Navy of Venezuela, according to locals, rarely patrols the waters. Pirates would also strip equipment from PDVSA oil facilities near Lake Maracaibo's waters. In total, 71 incidents of piracy occurred in Venezuelan waters according to OBP, a 163% increase. Reports of Venezuelan pirates attacking luxury yachts in the Caribbean began