Seafood procurement essentials
Fish: buy against a clear specification
Commercial presentation and processing state are separate choices: whole, headed, peeled, or filleted products are not interchangeable specifications.[4]
Quick frozen seafood requires a thermal-center endpoint of −18 °C or colder, followed by deep-frozen distribution.[1]
Free for buyers. One reviewed request; our team approaches suitable independent suppliers and returns comparable proposals — you never deal with a supplier directly, and suppliers cannot pay for placement. Assisted sourcing applies to programmes of USD 250,000 or more per year or season.
Educational profile, not an offer. Facts are general and come from the numbered sources; guidance boxes are our own buyer advice. No verified supplier offer for this item is on file — origin, grade, certification, packing and timing are confirmed per offer, with evidence, during sourcing.
Products in fish
4 of 4
Photo: JMK, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Illustrative; not a photo of any offer. Atlantic salmon
Salmo salar
Wholesale farmed Atlantic salmon: whole, HOG, headed and gutted, fillets and portions, fresh or frozen, with the specs and documents to set in an RFQ.
- Whole or gutted, head-on
- HOG — head-on, gutted
- Headed and gutted
- Fillets — skin-on or skinless
- Fillet sections and portions
- Fresh/chilled or quick frozen
No separate premium grade in the sources used.
Photo: Rup11, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Illustrative; not a photo of any offer. Nile tilapia
Oreochromis niloticus
Frozen and fresh Nile tilapia for import: whole, HOG, headed and gutted, fillets and portions, with the specs, glazing and documents to set in an RFQ.
- Whole or gutted, head-on
- HOG — head-on, gutted
- Headed and gutted
- Fillets — skin-on or skinless
- Fillet sections and portions
- Fresh/chilled or quick frozen
No separate premium grade in the sources used.
Photo: Luis Miguel Bugallo Sánchez (Lmbuga), CC BY-SA 2.5 es, via Wikimedia Commons. Illustrative; not a photo of any offer. Gilthead seabream
Sparus aurata
Compare gilthead seabream presentations, harvest cycles, sizes, net weight, cold-chain requirements, and sourcing documents with a practical buyer guide.
- Whole or gutted, head-on
- HOG — head-on, gutted
- Headed and gutted
- Fillets — skin-on or skinless
- Fillet sections and portions
- Fresh/chilled or quick frozen
No separate premium grade in the sources used.
Photo: THOR, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Illustrative; not a photo of any offer. Caviar (sturgeon roe)
Acipenseridae
Buying caviar wholesale? Identify the sturgeon species, reconcile the label and documents, and set cold-chain and pack specs before you send an RFQ.
- Siberian sturgeon
- Russian sturgeon
- White sturgeon
- Huso huso
- Hybrids
No separate premium grade in the sources used.
Compare at a glance
Each row summarises the product profile; the storage line is quoted from the named source. Open a profile for the full, sourced detail.
| Product | Types covered | Reference standard | Top class defined | Storage and handling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic salmon | Whole or gutted, head-on, HOG — head-on, gutted, Headed and gutted, Fillets — skin-on or skinless, Fillet sections and portions | CXS 190-1995: Standard for Quick Frozen Fish Fillets (2014 text) | No | Chilled fish and shellfish should be held as close as possible to 0 °C, using sufficient ice or suitable refrigeration. (Codex Alimentarius Commission) |
| Nile tilapia | Whole or gutted, head-on, HOG — head-on, gutted, Headed and gutted, Fillets — skin-on or skinless, Fillet sections and portions | CXS 190-1995: Standard for Quick Frozen Fish Fillets (2014 text) | No | Chilled fish and shellfish should be held as close as possible to 0 °C, using sufficient ice or suitable refrigeration. (Codex Alimentarius Commission) |
| Gilthead seabream | Whole or gutted, head-on, HOG — head-on, gutted, Headed and gutted, Fillets — skin-on or skinless, Fillet sections and portions | CXS 190-1995: Standard for Quick Frozen Fish Fillets (2014 text) | No | Chilled fish and shellfish should be held as close as possible to 0 °C, using sufficient ice or suitable refrigeration. (Codex Alimentarius Commission) |
| Caviar (sturgeon roe) | Siberian sturgeon, Russian sturgeon, White sturgeon, Huso huso, Hybrids | Standard for Sturgeon Caviar (CXS 291-2010) | No | CXS 291-2010 specifies −4 to 0 °C for wholesale storage and transport; it separately specifies +2 to +4 °C during packaging, storage and retail. (FAO / WHO Codex Alimentarius) |
Key points
Short answers to the questions buyers ask first. Each answer comes from the numbered sources below.
- Start with species and production, not a generic trade name
- Atlantic salmon is Salmo salar; conventional farming combines freshwater juvenile rearing and seawater grow-out.[8]
- Compare presentations on the same preparation basis
- Frozen finfish can be presented with or without the head and with viscera wholly or partly removed.[2]
- Make count, glaze, and net contents auditable
- Declared net contents of glazed fillets exclude glaze.[1]
- Separate harvest planning from cold-chain control
- Quick freezing requires −18 °C or colder at the thermal center after thermal stabilization.[1],[4]
- Match destination labeling and wild-catch documents to the lot
- Article 35 of Regulation 1379/2013 requires commercial designation, scientific name, production method, and catch or farming area for covered products offered to EU final consumers or mass caterers.[6]
Start with species and production, not a generic trade name
- Atlantic salmon is Salmo salar; conventional farming combines freshwater juvenile rearing and seawater grow-out.[8]
- Nile tilapia is Oreochromis niloticus and is cultivated in ponds, cages, tanks, and recirculation systems.[9]
- Gilthead seabream is Sparus aurata and is cultured in lagoons, tanks, and sea cages.[10]
- Only farm-raised Atlantic salmon are found in U.S. seafood markets; commercial fishing for the species is prohibited in the United States.[3]
General buyer guidance
- Keep scientific identity, origin, production system, and processing presentation in separate RFQ fields.
Compare presentations on the same preparation basis
- Frozen finfish can be presented with or without the head and with viscera wholly or partly removed.[2]
- Dressed fish is the portion remaining after heading and gutting.[4]
- Fillets are cut parallel to the backbone; the definition also includes sections cut for packing.[1]
- Boneless fillet presentation requires removal of bones, including pin bones.[1]
General buyer guidance
- Attach a preparation diagram and define the retained parts before comparing yields.
Make count, glaze, and net contents auditable
- Declared net contents of glazed fillets exclude glaze.[1]
- The same exclusion applies to glazed whole finfish.[2]
- Average net contents of sampled fillet containers must not fall below declared weight, with no unreasonable shortage in individual containers.[1]
- Product examination of fillet lots uses an appropriate sampling plan with AQL 6.5; net-weight sampling is separate.[1]
General buyer guidance
- Set a numeric size band and unit, a net-weight basis, and an agreed sampling method; do not compare gross carton weights alone.
Separate harvest planning from cold-chain control
- Quick freezing requires −18 °C or colder at the thermal center after thermal stabilization.[1],[4]
- Chilled fish and shellfish should be held as close as possible to 0 °C.[4]
- Frozen storage should maintain −18 °C or colder with minimal fluctuations.[4]
- Reduced-oxygen seafood packs require specific controls for Clostridium botulinum.[5]
General buyer guidance
- Ask each proposed origin to substantiate production timing and delivery schedules rather than assuming one global season.
Match destination labeling and wild-catch documents to the lot
- Article 35 of Regulation 1379/2013 requires commercial designation, scientific name, production method, and catch or farming area for covered products offered to EU final consumers or mass caterers.[6]
- For aquaculture, Article 38 links the labeled country to more than half of final weight or more than half the rearing period.[6]
- The EU IUU scheme uses flag-state-validated catch certificates for covered wild-caught marine fishery imports; this is distinct from farm production documentation.[7]
- The Commission states that use of CATCH is mandatory for EU operators and authorities for fishery imports from January 10, 2026.[7]
General buyer guidance
- Have a destination specialist confirm the scope, exemptions, and document requirements for your actual product and customs code.
Start your request with these requirements
Fill in what you already know; it is carried into the request form, where you add your programme value and contact details. Nothing is sent until you submit the form.
Free for buyers. One reviewed request; our team approaches suitable independent suppliers and returns comparable proposals — you never deal with a supplier directly, and suppliers cannot pay for placement. Assisted sourcing applies to programmes of USD 250,000 or more per year or season.
Frequently asked questions
Does glaze count toward net contents?
No. The cited frozen product standards exclude glaze from declared net contents.[1]
What is the quick-freezing endpoint?
The thermal center must reach −18 °C or colder after thermal stabilization; storage and distribution must then maintain the deep-frozen condition.[1]
Are farm systems the same as product presentations?
No. Codex processing guidance distinguishes preparation operations such as heading, peeling, and filleting from the production history of the animal.[4]
Does a catch certificate establish farmed origin?
No. The EU IUU catch-certificate mechanism addresses covered wild-caught marine products; it should not be confused with documentation of aquaculture production.[7]
Related guides and tools
Other catalogue categories
Farm, plant or input projects
Production projects behind this category are handled by our specialist platform.
FishMatchSources
Numbers in the text point to these sources. Dates are those shown on each source, or the date we checked an undated page.
- 1.CXS 190-1995: Standard for Quick Frozen Fish Fillets (2014 text) (opens in a new tab) — Codex Alimentarius Commission, page checked 2026-10-25
- 2.CXS 36-1981: Quick Frozen Finfish, Uneviscerated and Eviscerated (opens in a new tab) — Codex Alimentarius Commission, page checked 2026-10-25
- 3.Atlantic Salmon (Farmed): Seafood (opens in a new tab) — NOAA Fisheries, page checked 2026-10-25
- 4.CXC 52-2003: Code of Practice for Fish and Fishery Products (opens in a new tab) — Codex Alimentarius Commission, page checked 2026-10-25
- 5.Fish and Fishery Products Hazards and Controls Guidance (opens in a new tab) — U.S. Food and Drug Administration, page checked 2026-10-25
- 6.Regulation (EU) No 1379/2013, Articles 35 and 38 (opens in a new tab) — European Parliament and Council, page checked 2026-10-25
- 7.Illegal fishing: EU catch certification scheme (opens in a new tab) — European Commission, page checked 2026-10-25
- 8.Cultured Aquatic Species Information Programme: Salmo salar (opens in a new tab) — Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, page checked 2026-10-25
- 9.Cultured Aquatic Species Information Programme: Oreochromis niloticus (opens in a new tab) — Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, page checked 2026-10-25
- 10.Cultured Aquatic Species Information Programme: Sparus aurata (opens in a new tab) — Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, page checked 2026-10-25
Category guide last reviewed 2026-10-25.
Global B2B Group is committed to conducting its own activities in accordance with applicable law. It facilitates sourcing and RFQs and does not itself produce, manufacture, export or sell the listed products, or approve them on behalf of any authority. Suppliers are responsible for the products and shipments they offer and supply meeting the requirements of the origin and destination countries — for example safety, quality, labelling, traceability, sanitary or phytosanitary certificates and export documents, where relevant. Buyers remain responsible for their own import permissions, local requirements and due diligence. Requirements differ by product and country; this is not legal advice. Compliance & responsibilities · Terms