At 75, Colva fisherman Inacio continues to work every day, keeping alive a traditional fishing trade he has followed since the age of 18.
For more than five decades, Inacio has remained connected to Goa’s coastal way of life. Today, he prepares and sells dried fish, preserving an age-old practice that has long been part of the state’s fishing communities.
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His work involves cleaning and processing different varieties of fish, including sardines, mackerel, prawns, shark and stingray. The fish is dipped in salt water before being laid out to dry naturally. Depending on weather conditions, the drying process generally takes three to four days.
“I have been doing this business since I was 18 years old. I am now 75, but I am still continuing our traditional fishing business,” Inacio said.
His association with the fishing trade has also taken him beyond Goa. Inacio said he was among the first Goan fishermen to travel to a Gulf country to work as a fisherman. He later helped eight other Goan youths secure opportunities to work abroad in the fishing sector.
Despite being 75, Inacio continues to carry out the daily work involved in preparing and selling dried fish. His dedication reflects not only a lifelong profession but also the persistence of traditional knowledge passed down through generations.
For Inacio, the dried fish trade is more than a source of livelihood. It represents a way of life deeply connected to Goa’s coastline and a tradition he remains determined to preserve.
