How to sell your catch direct | Seafish

How to sell your catch direct

A simple guide for fishermen wanting to sell their catch to consumers for personal consumption.



If you sell your catch directly to consumers, there are important rules to follow to ensure your fish is safe to eat, legally caught, and properly documented. This guide helps you understand the steps you must take to sell your catch legally. 

Food safety rules

  • Fishing vessels are food business operators (FBOs). They must register with their local authority and follow food hygiene rules. On registration, your local authority will advise you on what you need to do to meet the relevant food safety requirements. For more details please visit the dedicated page on food business registration on Gov.uk.
  • Direct sales from the producer to the public have lower risk. They are exempt from some legal requirements. This is known as the ‘small quantities exemption’. It is limited to: 
    • Fish that have not undergone any preparation other than gutting, removal of fins, refrigeration and wrapping. 
    • Direct sales i.e. selling your own catch. 

Ways to sell your catch directly 

There are three ways to sell your catch:

  1. From your vessel, direct from the quayside. You are also permitted to deliver to customers in their home. 
  2. To local retailers who sell directly to the final consumer (such as your local fishmonger). 
  3. Direct to local restaurants. Local is the area covered by your local authority plus the neighbouring authority, or 30 miles, whichever is greater. This restriction does not apply if you are delivering to customers at home. However, you still must follow food safety rules for transporting fish. 

Essential food safety practices 

  • Keep fish at the correct temperature during storage and transport 
  • Prevent contamination by using clean equipment and proper packaging
  • Mussels, oysters or scallops, must not be sold directly to consumers, as they must come from approved premises. Live crustacean shellfish (crabs, lobsters, langoustines, etc.) can be sold direct.  
  • Provide allergen information before Purchase. For more information, see guidance published by the FSA.

Traceability & record-keeping 

Keeping records ensures legal compliance and helps trace fish through the supply chain. 

Do I need to provide traceability documents?

  • If you sell fish from your own vessel for private use, and the transaction is under €50 (about £45), you are exempt from this requirement.
  • If you sell fish from other vessels, even in small quantities, you must provide traceability documents.  

Recording your catch 

Regardless of how you sell your catch, you must complete and submit catch and landing documents within the required timeframe. 

  • Selling direct to consumers (for personal use) does not require registration, but weight limits apply: 
    • Wales: Up to 25kg per day 
    • England, Scotland and Northern Ireland: Up to 30kg per day 
  • Larger sales, or sales to retailers and restaurants, require buyer registration. Buyers must complete sales notes, detailing landing details, first marketing and sale of the fish. Then, they must submit the notes to the relevant authority.  
  • You can only sell fish caught from your own vessel. If you plan to sell fish caught on another vessel, even if there is no financial transaction, then you must register as a buyer. 
  • If you are transporting your fish before it is sold, you must complete a Transport Document. It must go with the catch while in transit. This is to ensure you are only selling your own catch. You do not need a Transport Document if:  
    • A copy of the landing declaration or equivalent document is included 
    • An electronic transport document has been submitted
    • A takeover declaration is submitted
    • You submit an under-10m catch record and transport your own catch.  
  • Invoices: For tax purposes and buyer protection, you should create invoices for every sale. This also helps track of who purchased your fish.  

Selling from Harbour Authority Property (Northern Ireland only) 

If selling from a harbour in Ardglass, Kilkeel or Portavogie, follow these additional rules: 

  • You are encouraged to notify the harbour authority that you plan to sell direct from your boat to the public.
  • You must choose a location which minimises risk to the public from hazards arising in a working harbour (primarily trip hazards).
  • You are not permitted to sell directly to the public from any of the fish markets. 
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