Registration of Buyers and Sellers
Buyers and sellers of first sale fish and shellfish landed into the UK now need to register with Fisheries Departments. Auction centres and fish markets at which such fish is sold also need to be registered. Seafish has produced guidance notes to help you deal with the regulations.
Sellers of first sale fish must provide sales notes to their local Marine Management Organisation (MMO) office when they sell fish through designated (registered) auction centres or markets. Buyers must provide sales notes for all other forms of sale. Sellers and buyers of first sale fish have to be registered with the MMO.
Sales notes for first sales of fish must be submitted within 48 hours of sale. Submission may be done electronically or with a paper sales note. Registered buyers or sellers with an annual turnover of more than EUR400,000 are required to use electronic means to submit their sales notes.
MMO guidance
The most up-to-date guidance is the guidance produced by
the MMO on their dedicated 'Fish Register' website http://www.fishregister.gov.uk/. In particular
note the guidance in the Completion of Sales Notes Policy and
Operational Guide, available here.
The MMO Fish Register site also contains links and information for
submitting sales notes electronically, either online or
offline.
Seafish guidance
Seafish has produced advice on how to register, submit
sales notes and maintain records. The detailed version of the guide
(2005), available here.
Defra
There is more information on the Defra Buyers and
Sellers page, which also allows you to submit sales notes
online.
- RBS 1 Form: Application for registered status as a buyer or seller of first sale fish in the UK http://archive.defra.gov.uk/corporate/docs/forms/fish/rbs1.htm
- Explanatory leaflet RBS 2: Applying to be a registered buyer or seller of first sale fish in the UK http://archive.defra.gov.uk/corporate/docs/forms/fish/rbs2.htm
- RBS 3 Form: Application for designation of premises as an auction site in the UK http://archive.defra.gov.uk/corporate/docs/forms/fish/rbs3.htm
- Explanatory leaflet RBS 4: Designation of premises as an auction site in the UK http://archive.defra.gov.uk/corporate/docs/forms/fish/rbs4.htm
Scottish Government
You can also find information on the Scottish
Government website which has a section dedicated to the
Registration of Buyers and Sellers.
Isle of Man Government
The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture of the
Isle of Man has set up a voluntary scheme for the registration of
buyers and sellers. It is intended that Registration becomes
compulsory later in 2011. Details are available from this official
page: http://www.gov.im/daff/fish/sea/registration.xml
UK legislation - full texts
- The Registration of Fish Buyers and Sellers and Designation of Fish Auction Sites Regulations 2005 (England): http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2005/20051605.htm
- The Registration of Fish Buyers and Sellers and Designation of Fish Auction Sites Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/sr/sr2005/20050419.htm
- The Registration of Fish Sellers and Buyers and Designation of Auction Sites (Scotland) Regulations 2005: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/legislation/scotland/ssi2005/20050286.htm
- ...amended by The Registration of Fish Sellers and Buyers and Designation of Auction Sites (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2005 http://www.opsi.gov.uk/legislation/scotland/ssi2005/20050438.htm
- Link to the Scottish Executive's website page with information on The Registration of Fish Sellers and Buyers and Designation of Auction Sites (Scotland) Regulations 2005 http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Fisheries/Sea-Fisheries/fish-register/introduction