# salmon vs. tuna cans **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 25, 2003, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salmon-vs-tuna-cans/171213 "2003-04-25T22:40:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![yareps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/c67d28/32.png) [@yareps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yareps)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2003, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salmon-vs-tuna-cans/171213/1 "2003-04-25T22:40:24Z")
Why are salmon cans always tapered (wider at top) while tuna cans are normal cylinders? Is it for easily removing the chunk of fish for food platters (even for bone-in salmon)? ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2003, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salmon-vs-tuna-cans/171213/2 "2003-04-25T22:51:58Z")
“Why are salmon cans always tapered (wider at top)” They are ?! Not in my pantry. Perhaps its a regional thing ? ---
**Author:** ![mmmiiikkkeee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/edb3f5/32.png) [@mmmiiikkkeee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mmmiiikkkeee)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2003, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salmon-vs-tuna-cans/171213/3 "2003-04-25T23:42:21Z")
I’ve only noticed something _like_ a taper in the past few years, though it’s really just s slight flaring of the top rim of the salmon can. That would be for easier stacking. ---
**Author:** ![yareps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/c67d28/32.png) [@yareps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yareps)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2003, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salmon-vs-tuna-cans/171213/4 "2003-04-25T23:47:03Z")
Hmmm, that’s interesting in itlsef. My data points are from Washington (state) and Virginia and include Bumble Bee and Safeway brands, as well as lesser names specific to the areas. ---
**Author:** ![yareps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/c67d28/32.png) [@yareps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yareps)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2003, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salmon-vs-tuna-cans/171213/5 "2003-04-26T00:07:15Z")
Here are some numbers. Maybe we’re looking at the same thing. For a 14.75 oz salmon can that is 110mm tall, the top is 75mm wide and the bottom is 65mm, a noticeable difference. Smaller cans have a proportionally smaller difference. I’m not sure about the stacking argument. My cylindrical tuna and soup cans stack just fine, whereas my salmon cans slide around on top of one another. ---
**Author:** ![vandal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/858c86/32.png) [@vandal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vandal)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2003, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salmon-vs-tuna-cans/171213/6 "2003-04-26T00:48:19Z")
Hmmm… looks like you need to move. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2003, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salmon-vs-tuna-cans/171213/7 "2003-04-26T04:03:27Z")
Many salmon canneries in Alaska and Canada are in remote locations. Tapered salmon cans come from small canneries that do not manufacture their own cans. The empty cans are tapered so that they can be stacked inside each other for easy shipping from the can manufacturer to the salmon cannery. ---
**Author:** ![yareps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/c67d28/32.png) [@yareps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yareps)\ **Post date:** [April 26, 2003, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/salmon-vs-tuna-cans/171213/8 "2003-04-26T20:06:37Z")
Fear, thanks for your clear answer.