I'm with you. The "Nuri" label is ok but there is better. Most are produced in Morocco but there are Portuguese sardines of better quality and higher price,and some from Tunisia.The bristling sardines from Norway are excellent. I like them skinless and boneless in olive oil, these have better flavor than the whole ones. Most packed in Canada are not sardines at all but small herring. You might check out sprats, a similar small fish from the Baltic sea. They are canned or bottled and are excellent.
.European sardine Sardina pilchardus
.
European sprat, Sprattus sprattus
Thanks for the info on the different types of sardines. I have noticed some have larger and more numerous scales, especially ones from the Adriatic.
I still like Canadian varieties caught on the Atlantic side and its tributaries. Grew up eating Beach Cliff brand, which IIRC, were caught on the Pacific side?