Marine and fisheries compliance: registration of buyers and sellers

Introduction

The Registration of Buyers and Sellers (RBS) Scheme has been fully operational in Scotland since 2005 and requires all buyers and sellers of first sale fish to be registered, and all auction sites of first sale fish and shellfish to be designated.

Registration and designation is free, and application forms and explanatory leaflets are available.

Once registered, buyers and sellers are able to buy and/or sell first sale fish and shellfish, and they must comply with the following rules on the provision of sales notes:

• Registered buyers (individuals, partnerships, corporate bodies or companies) who buy first sale fish and shellfish direct from a vessel must complete a Buyer's Sales Note within 48 hours of acquiring the information for each sale, and return it to Aberdeen Fishery Office
• Registered sellers (those who purchase first sale fish and shellfish by competitive bidding at a designated auction site) must complete a Seller's Sales Note within 48 hours of the sale, and submit it to the Fishery Office at the Port of Landing

The purpose of the RBS Scheme is to:

• enable individuals or companies to become registered buyers and sellers of first sale fish and shellfish, while allowing fisheries administrations to keep track of the actual amounts of fish species being sold
• improve the monitoring and control of landings of fish
• increase traceability of fish by ensuring that all landings are properly recorded and capable of verification

In turn this will ensure fairer fish and shellfish prices for all, allowing people to obtain the freshest fish and shellfish - including being able to trace this fish and shellfish directly to vessels and stocks - and ultimately supporting the other measures in place to conserve fish and shellfish stocks.

Please note that registration as a buyer is not required when purchases of first sale fish direct from a fishing vessel are wholly for private consumption, and less than 30 kg is bought per day.

Marketing, Sale, Transport, Traceability & Labelling

The Registration of Buyers and Sellers (RBS) Scheme has been fully operational in Scotland since 2005. The legislation requires that all buyers and sellers of first sale fish are registered and that all auction sites of first sale fish and shellfish are designated.

Once registered, buyers and sellers are able to buy and/or sell first sale fish, and shellfish must comply with the rules on the provision of sales notes.

Registration and designation is free and application forms and explanatory leaflets are available on the RBS pages.

Traceability & Labelling

Food Standards Scotland, Marine Scotland and Seafish have produced guidance on traceability and labelling, together with an example template (available on the Sea Fisheries pages) designed to help the fishing industry comply with EU regulations that seek to ensure traceability information on catches of fish are made available up to the first point of sale. A full technical guide was also produced.

• Food Standards Scotland
• Seafish

There is also more information and Guidance on the Sea Fisheries pages.

Useful Links

• register of buyers and sellers http://mscompass.marine.gov.scot accessible from the main menu

• The Registration of Fish Sellers and Buyers and Designation of Auction Sites (Scotland) Regulations 2005

• The Registration of Fish Sellers and Buyers and Designation of Auction Sites (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2005

• The Sea Fishing (EU Control Measures) (Scotland) Order 2015 (SSI 320/2015)