Fishmonger

Introduction
Fishmongers prepare and sell fish. They work in shops, on market stalls and
in supermarkets. They give advice to customers on how to store and cook
fish. Some fishmongers collect fish supplies very early each morning.

Also known as
Fish Filleter

Work Activities
As a Fishmonger, you will select and buy fish from a wholesaler and hand-prepare it for retail sales. The preparation
involves removing scales, skin and bones, gutting the fish and possibly cutting it into smaller portions.

Fishmongers might also carry out specialised tasks such as preparing crabs. Some also sell poultry and game.

The work involves collecting and storing stock, carefully labelling and displaying fish and serving customers, often
giving advice on how best to store and cook the fish. Fishmongers advise customers about different types of common
fish and shellfish and sometimes give out recipe leaflets.

You answer questions from customers, for example, about how the fish was caught, whether it has been previously
frozen or if it comes from sustainable stocks.

Fishmongers working in a shop, market or mobile delivery van take payments in cash from customers, and give
change; you might also deal with payment by debit or credit card.

If you work at a supermarket fish counter, you will be more likely to print out a label showing the weight and price of
the fish, for payment at the checkout. Staff in supermarkets are less likely to prepare or buy the fish. Quite often,
supermarkets have a central buying system and a lot of the fish is bought in already filleted.

You have to maintain strict standards of hygiene and health and safety. Tools and equipment such as knives, tongs,
fish slices, sharpening tools and pliers have to be cleaned and well looked after.

Fishmongers need to keep work areas very clean, dispose of waste properly and wear protective clothing and
footwear. Working conditions can be cold and wet.

Some might prepare fish for sale direct to the public through a website. You pack the fish in special insulated
containers and arrange for it to be delivered to the customer's address.

Being able to read, write and speak Welsh may be an advantage when you’re looking for work in Wales.

Personal Qualities and Skills

To become a Fishmonger, you will need to be able to:

develop a detailed knowledge of fish and fish products

cope with messy jobs such as gutting and cleaning fish
use sharp knives to do small and detailed work, filleting fish and removing small bones
cope both with standing for long hours and with some lifting
work in cold, wet conditions
maintain a high standard of personal hygiene
pay attention to detail

Pay and Opportunities

Pay

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 The pay rates given below are approximate.

With experience: £16,500 - £18,500

Hours of work

Fishmongers usually work 39 to 40 hours a week, including Saturdays, with a day or half a day off during the week.
Early starts might be required. Part-time work could be available.

Where could I work?

Employers include small shops, market stallholders and mobile traders. However, most opportunities are now with
supermarket fresh fish counters.

Opportunities for Fishmongers occur in towns and cities throughout the UK.

Self-employment

Opportunities occur for Fishmongers to become self-employed retailers. Some might sell through a website. Others
might set up a mobile delivery round, open a shop or set up their own market stall.

Where are vacancies advertised?

Vacancies are advertised in local newspapers, in supermarkets, on Find a Job and at Jobcentre Plus.

GreenJobs is a job board aimed at people interested in green careers:

www.greenjobs.co.uk/browse-jobs/fisheries-jobs/

Entry Routes and Training

Entry routes

An Intermediate Level Apprenticeship is a great place to start. Take a look at our information article 'Apprenticeships
– How do I apply', for more details about applying for apprenticeship positions.

Training

New entrants need to obtain basic food safety/hygiene certification; this might be followed by Hazard Analysis and
Critical Control Point (HACCP) training. Other training might be carried out at work by a skilled colleague.

The Seafood Training School in Billingsgate offers short courses including a one-day introduction to fishmongering
course, knife skills training and the two-day City & Guilds seafood retail certificate. Seafish Training and the Seafood
Training Academy have details of other training course locations around the country.

You might work towards an award, certificate or diploma for proficiency in fish and shellfish industry skills at level 2.

It might be possible to work towards an award, certificate or diploma in retail skills at level 2 or a certificate or
diploma in retail skills (sales professional) at level 3. There is a fish-specific unit called 'hand-process fish in a retail
environment' at level 2.

Work Experience

Previous experience dealing with the public, food retail work or handling cash would be really useful for this career.

Progression

After training in food hygiene, preparation, sales, customer service, display and stock-keeping, there could be
opportunities for promotion to supervisory or management posts.

Qualifications

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 To get onto an Intermediate Level Apprenticeship, you’ll usually need at least 2 GCSEs at grade C/4 or above, possibly
including English and maths.

Adult Opportunities
Age limits

It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show
there is a real need to have these limits.

Skills/experience

Some entrants have developed relevant skills through dealing with the public, food retail work or handling cash.

Courses

Seafish Training provides relevant short courses: an Introduction to Fishmongering, and Fish Filleting. These can be
completed by attendance at a local training centre or in the workplace. A list of centres is available on the Seafish
website.

Funding

Funding support for training courses is available from Seafish via approved training providers.

Statistics

27% of fishmongers work part-time.

Further Information
Contacts

Apprenticeships: Get In. Go Far

National Apprenticeship Service (NAS)
Tel: 0800 015 0400
Email: nationalhelpdesk@findapprenticeship.service.gov.uk
Website: www.apprenticeships.org.uk

Skills Development Scotland - Modern Apprenticeships

Tel: 0800 9178000
Email: info@skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk
Website: www.myworldofwork.co.uk/modernapprenticeships

City & Guilds

Address: 1 Giltspur Street, London EC1A 9DD
Tel: 020 7294 2468
Email: learnersupport@cityandguilds.com
Website: www.cityandguilds.com

Jobsite UK
Retail, fashion and hospitality industries
Tel: 020 8340 3366
Email: help@jobsite.co.uk
Website: www.theappointment.co.uk

National Skills Academy for Food & Drink

Sector Skills Council for the food and drinks industry
Email: info@nsafd.co.uk
Website: www.improveltd.co.uk

Tasty Careers

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 Food and drink careers
Email: info@tastycareers.org.uk
Website: tastycareers.org.uk

Seafish
Address: Origin Way, Europarc, Grimsby, Lincolnshire DN37 9TZ
Tel: 01472 252300
Email: seafish@seafish.co.uk
Website: www.seafish.org

The Seafood School at Billingsgate

Address: Office 30, Billingsgate Market, Trafalgar Way, London E14 5ST
Tel: 020 7517 3548
Email: info@seafoodtraining.org
Website: www.seafoodtraining.org

National Federation of Fishmongers (NFF)

Address: PO Box 9639, Colchester, Essex CO5 9WR
Tel: 01376 571391
Website: www.fishmongers.info

Seafish Scotland
Scottish enquiries
Address: 18 Logie Mill, Logie Green Road, Edinburgh EH7 4HS
Tel: 0131 5583331
Email: seafish@seafish.co.uk
Website: www.seafish.org

Careers Wales - Welsh Apprenticeships

Tel: 0800 028 4844
Website: ams.careerswales.com/

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