Agriculture & Farming

Which fishing and aquaculture regulations apply to your business

Every fishing and aquaculture business shares the same workplace health and safety foundation for shore-based operations, then the rules diverge by whether you operate a sea fishing vessel, run an aquaculture production business, or fish freshwater commercially.

UK-wide
On this page
UK-wide

Related guides in Compliance & Legal

Fishing and aquaculture covers sea fishing, freshwater fishing, marine shellfish and finfish farming, and land-based fish farms and hatcheries. The workplace health and safety duties under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 apply to your shore-based operations — offices, net stores, processing sheds and hatchery buildings. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) regulates in Great Britain and HSENI in Northern Ireland. Crew safety at sea is regulated separately by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) under the Merchant Shipping Act 1995.

Beyond that shared foundation, the rules diverge by what you do.

What you need to do

Identify the description that best fits your business. If more than one applies — for example you operate a sea fishing vessel and also run a shellfish farm — follow every obligation that applies.

  1. 1

    Every fishing and aquaculture business

    Whatever you do, start with the universal spine. Follow "Set up and run a safe fishing or aquaculture business" for your shore-based health and safety, fire safety, employers' liability insurance, equality and data protection duties.

  2. 2

    You operate a sea fishing vessel

    Your vessel must be licensed, registered, and meet MCA safety requirements. Your crew need the right training and certification. Follow "Meet your sea fishing vessel duties" for vessel licensing (MMO, Marine Directorate, Welsh Government or DAERA), registration, MCA safety and first-sale fish registration.

  3. 3

    You run an aquaculture business or fish freshwater commercially

    You need authorisation from the Fish Health Inspectorate before you start, and the licensing and consenting regime depends on whether you farm in the sea, cultivate shellfish, harvest live bivalve molluscs, fish freshwater commercially or catch eels. Follow "Meet your aquaculture and freshwater fishing duties" for all the sector-specific licensing and consenting.

  4. 4

    Confirm you have covered everything

    Whatever you do, finish with the fishing and aquaculture compliance checklist to confirm your obligations are met.

Official sources

Authoritative starting points for fishing and aquaculture regulation.