Fish has been one of the most important and sustaining food factors in the life of Goans for centuries together, and furthermore, as an important part of the Goan diet, the traditional preservation of fish has also become almost an industry in itself. In the pre-Liberation era and even during a couple of years after the region became free from the colonial rule, there was limited need to preserve the fish, mainly because fresh fish was always available for the locals at an affordable rate, primarily as the demand was far less than the supply. However, once the population of Goa began to grow in the late 1970s and the early 1980s, mechanised fishing became very much necessary to feed the fish-starved residents of the state. Salt has been the age-old preservative for preserving fish in Goa, mainly as it is a water absorbent substance and removes water from any food material; in absence of water bacteria don’t multiply and hence salt act as a preservative. In the past, the salt required to preserve whatever limited amount of fish was left after being sold to customers, was sourced from saltpan farmers in Pernem, Bardez, Tiswadi and Salcete talukas. The crystallised salt was brought to the markets in large bamboo baskets and used for preserving such leftover fish. As the mechanised fishing was introduced in Goa and the number of trawlers travelling to deep sea to catch fish began to grow, the quantity of fish brought ashore too increased. The closure of the saltpans on one side, and the requirement of large amount of salt for preserving fish on the other, gave way for the use of ice for preservation of fish. Many a times, fish was preserved in the mixture of ice and salt. Besides fresh fish, Goans also depended on canned fish mostly imported from Europe during pre-Liberation days and locally dried fish, the former mostly consumed by the affluent section of the Catholic population in the state, while the latter relished by the Goan population in general. In fact, few people could afford the imported canned fish ranging from sardines to bacalhau in those days, and preferred cheaper locally dried fish, especially during the monsoon, which were sold during purumento (provision) fairs in various markets around Goa. The dried fish are treated by local fishermen along the Goan coastline, mainly using the method of removal of water from the fish, which hinders the growth of micro organisms. The method consists of cleaning, scaling and eviscerating the fresh fish, ranging from mackerels and silverfish to prawns and Bombay duck, then stuffing them with rock salt, and finally drying in the sun for about three weeks. In present times, the availability of the fresh fish throughout the year, including during the fish ban period, has resulted in drop in the demand for dry fish, which incidentally has a storage life of several years. The demand for fresh fish in Goa increased sharply over the last one decade especially due to the rise in the number of hotels and restaurants in the state. This prompted import of fish from states like Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. Although this import continues throughout the year, it substantially grows during fishing ban period in the state. The extensive time taken to bring fish from these states to Goa makes the use of preservatives necessary, so that these fish do not appear stale at the time of their sale to consumers. Importers have a tendency to use cheap and in turn, harmful preservatives so as to increase their profit margin. The socioeconomic changes, which have taken place in Goa since past few decades, have clearly affected the availability and affordability of fish, which is a staple diet of Goans with rice and coconut. And now with the use of harmful preservatives, the quality of the fish, which regularly reaches the plate of the Goans, has also been compromised. The maintenance of constant vigilance by the government authorities over the fish arriving in the state markets, presently appears to be the only solution for this serious problem.