Processing, presentation and marketing information for fish
Updated 22 September 2025
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This is a list of the most common processing methods and their presentation codes used in reporting catch information. A comprehensive list of all codes can be found in Annex I Tables 1& 2 of .
0.1 Common presentation codes
This is a list of the most common presentation codes used in reporting catch information. A comprehensive list of all codes can be found in Annex I Table 1 of .
| Code | Presentation | Description |
|---|---|---|
| WHL | Whole | No processing |
| GUT | Gutted | All guts removed |
| GUH | Gutted and headed | Guts and head removed |
| GHT | Gutted, headed and tailed | Guts, head and tail removed |
| HEA | Headed | Heads removed |
| TAL | Tail | Tails only |
| WNG | Wings | Wings only |
| FIL | Filleted | Headed, gutted, tailed and bones removed resulting in two fillets from each fish |
| FIS | Skinned fillets | Processed as fillets with additionally the skin removed |
| CLA | Claws | Claws only |
| ROE | Roe(s) | Roes only |
0.2 State of processing
This is a list of the processing codes used in reporting catch information, as shown at Annex I Table 2 of .
| Code | State |
|---|---|
| ALI | Alive |
| BOI | Boiled |
| DRI | Dried |
| FRE | Fresh |
| FRO | Frozen |
| SAL | Salted |
0.3 Common species to which Marketing Standards applies
This is a list of the most common species found in UK waters to which marketing standards regulation apply. For a full list of which fishery products this legislation applies see article 3 of .
| Species | Scientific name |
|---|---|
| Anchovy | Engraulis spp |
| Black sea bream | Spondyliosoma cantharus |
| Cod | Gadus morhua |
| Conger | Conger conger |
| Cuttlefish | Sepia officinalis |
| Dab | Limanda limanda |
| Edible crab | Cancer pagarus |
| Flounder | Platichthys flesus |
| Gurnard | Trigla spp |
| Haddock | Melanogrammus aeglefinus |
| Hake | Merluccius merluccius |
| Herring | Clupea harengus |
| Horse mackerel | Trachurus spp |
| Lemon sole | Microstomus kitt |
| Ling | Molva molva |
| Mackerel | Scomber spp |
| Megrim | Lepidorhombus spp |
| Mullet | Mugil spp |
| Norway lobster | Nephrops norvegicus |
| Plaice | Pleuronectes platessa |
| Pollack | Pollachius pollachius |
| Pouting | Trisopterus luscus |
| Saithe (Coalfish) | Pollachius virens |
| Sardine | Sardina pilchardus |
| Scallop | Pecten maximus |
| Sole | Solea spp |
| Sprat | Sprattus sprattus |
| Whelk | Buccinum undatum |
| Whiting | Merlangius merlangus |
0.4 Marketing standards
The common marketing standards for certain fishery products with respect to size and freshness are shown below, for detailed guidelines including which fishery products this legislation applies see .
| Freshness | Size |
|---|---|
| E: Extra | 1 - 8 Size category |
| A: A | 1 - 8 Size category |
| B: B | 1 - 8 Size category |
| U: Ungraded | 9 Ungraded |
0.5 Destination of fish
| Destination code | Destination |
|---|---|
| BAI | Bait |
| COV | Carry Over |
| HCN | Human Consumption |
| IND | Industrial uses |
| WDR | Withdrawn from the market |