Nazaré

The tradition of drying overfished fish is of little known origin, but would be the best way to conserve it for days of scarcity. Thus, the fishmongers provided livelihoods for families but also allowed them to have fish to sell in other markets.
The most used species were, and are, ray, horse mackerel (of various sizes), shortfin mako, sardines, petinga and cação (piglet = small shark), due to their abundance, but also octopus and shortfin squid (Ommastrephidae). In Nazaré two different forms of drying are distinguished: dried fish and nausea fish, with different preparation and consumption characteristics.