Why is brine drained during dry salting of fish?

During the dry salting of fish, brine is drained to facilitate the reduction of the fish's water content. By removing the liquid that forms as salt draws moisture from the flesh, the process effectively lowers the water activity of the fish.12

This reduction is essential for preservation, as lowering water activity inhibits the growth of microorganisms and slows down chemical reactions that would otherwise degrade the quality of the product. Through this method, the water content of the fish is typically reduced from its fresh state of 75 to 80 percent down to approximately 50 percent, while the salt content increases to about 25 percent. This technique is particularly valuable in regions where refrigeration or cold storage facilities are limited.21