Fishmongers or Supermarkets, your choice

The number of UK Fishmongers has been decreasing over the years for a number of reasons.

Possibly the 3 main reasons are:

  • Supermarkets.
  • Public appetite for fresh fish.
  • High costs of location where people shop.

A Fishmonger is a person that sells fish, and has a long history dating back to the thirteen hundreds. Also known as a Fishwife. The most famous is the well known Molly Malone. This statue is located in Dublin and is the song about Molly Malone.

Molly Malone in Dublin

In Dublin’s fair city, where the girls are so pretty
I first set my eyes on sweet Molly Malone.
As she wheeled her wheelbarrow through streets broad and narrow. Crying cockles and mussels alive a-live O!

A-live a-live O! A-live a-live O!
Crying cockles and mussels alive a-live O!

She was a fishmonger and sure it was no wonder
For so were her father and mother before.
And they both wheeled their barrows through streets broad and narrow. Crying cockles and mussels alive a-live O!

A-live a-live O! A-live a-live O!
Crying cockles and mussels alive a-live O!

She died of a fever and no one could save her
And that was the end of sweet Molly Malone.
Now her ghost wheels her barrow through streets broad and narrow. Crying cockles and mussels alive a-live O!

A-live a-live O! A-live a-live O!
Crying cockles and mussels alive a-live O!

Worshipful Company of Fishmongers

The Worshipful Company of Fishmongers is an ancient guild, more that 700 years old based in the City of London. As you would expect, London had a large and thriving fish market called Billingsgate. The Market rights of the City of London were based on a charter granted by Edward III in 1327. More information on Billingsgate Market.

There are about 575 Fishmongers

The British purchase of fresh fish from a Fishmonger has been declining for many years. Nowadays it can be hard to locate an independent fishmonger. Now with the shortage of lorry drivers, Covid-19, it is going to get more difficult. Added to that is the changing eating habits of the population.

As an island nation with an abundance of fish and seafood of all types all around the coastline, the nation imports more fish than it exports. The decision by the UK to leave the European Union have made exports to the EU more expensive and have resulted in many small suppliers struggling to sell their catch to the local population. A report by the Government “UK Sea Fisheries 2019” highlights the situation.

A special Category

This Directory was created to help all people working in the UK seafood sector, with a special Category for On-line Fishmongers. If you are in this sector, you are invited to join, it is free. If you are a customer, please tell your local Fishmonger about this free Seafood Directory. More information in the Questions and Answers section.