The appearance of ugly, polluting tar balls on the pristine beaches of Pernem recently point to the fact that ships continue to discharge oil into Goa's coastal waters in blatant violation of environmental norms governing the shipping industry. According to the US Coast Guard, tarballs are small, dark-coloured pieces of oil that stick to the feet of those who walk on the beach. They are remnants of oil spills. When oil floats on the surface of the sea, it first spreads into a thin layer, called an