Artisanal processing is associated with small-scale fisheries, and leverages methods such as sun drying, salting, fermenting, and smoking and frying, all of which enable fish to be preserved in locations where ice and refrigeration are non-existent or too expensive. These processes generally involve destroying spoilage bacteria and enzymes and creating conditions which unsuitable for microbial growth and proliferation. Many methods rely on the removal of moisture from the fish with or without some form of heat treatment, such as smoking or frying.  

Drying involves the evaporation of moisture from the surface of the fish and the migration of moisture from inside the fish to the surface. Drying is affected by the movement of air over the surface of the fish as well as the temperature and humidity of that air.  Sun drying of fish, with or without the addition of salt, is practiced in many tropical countries, and is a low cost form of preservation.