Seafood suppliers, buyers and products in the UK

A fleet of small boats and large pelagic vessels

In 2024, there were 5,232 UK registered fishing vessels. About 79% of them (4,140 vessels) are under 10 metres long, but they account for only 4% of the quantity landed. Most of the volume comes from larger vessels, especially in the pelagic fishery.

Scotland: the heart of UK landings

Among the four nations, Scotland lands the largest quantity and value of fish. Scottish landings grew by 24% between 2022 and 2024, driven by pelagic species after quota increases for mackerel and blue whiting.

Peterhead is consistently the UK's leading port: 216,000 tonnes and £249 million of landings in 2024. Lerwick, in Shetland, follows with 66,000 tonnes and £91 million. Together, they received about 78% of all landings by UK vessels into Scotland and serve as the main ports for pelagic species.

England: Newlyn, Brixham and a more spread-out fleet

In England, Newlyn recorded the highest quantity and value of landings, followed by Brixham. These two ports account for only 33% of landings into England, which are spread more evenly across many ports. The English fleet works in several lower-volume fisheries, especially for shellfish.

The species that matter

• Pelagic: mackerel, herring and blue whiting are the key species. In 2024, herring landings rose by 21% and blue whiting by 16%.
• Shellfish: Nephrops (langoustine, also called Norway lobster), lobsters and king scallops are the main shellfish species. King scallop landings peak toward the end of the year, before Christmas; Nephrops and lobster peak in summer.
• Salmon: although mostly farmed rather than caught, salmon is the UK's key traded species, worth £1.7 billion in total trade in 2024. The UK was a net exporter of salmon that year.

What buyers look for

• Fresh and frozen fish: mackerel, herring, haddock, cod, monkfish, hake, plaice, sole, salmon.
• Shellfish: langoustine, lobster, brown crab, king scallops, queen scallops, whelks, mussels, oysters.
• Processed products: smoked salmon, kippers, frozen fillets, fishmeal and fish oil.

The UK in international trade

In 2024, the UK imported 633,000 tonnes of fish and fish preparations worth £3.5 billion, and exported 380,000 tonnes worth £2.0 billion. Salmon was the only species with both imports and exports above 20,000 tonnes.

According to Seafish, salmon was the UK's leading seafood export in 2024, followed by shellfish, with mackerel also driving growth; the EU, the United States and China are among the main markets. On the import side, whitefish such as cod, haddock and Alaska pollock is the largest group, while tuna, mostly canned, is the leading single species by volume. Norway and the EU are among the main suppliers, notably alongside Iceland for cod and Ecuador for tuna.

How to find seafood suppliers, buyers and products in the UK

SeaMatch presents 122 UK seafood companies listed in the SeaMatch public directory from public sources. SeaMatch serves suppliers, buyers, importers and distributors looking for seafood products. The sector includes: fish wholesalers, seafood suppliers, processors, shellfish exporters, salmon producers and frozen fish suppliers. The public directory shows each company's name and city, and with a free account, you can filter companies by region. With a free account, you can contact the companies registered on SeaMatch.

Frequently asked questions