Brixham fish market looks to net record sales

Brixham’s fish market is on course for a record-breaking year, with millions of pounds worth of fish sold through the port and millions more generated for the local economy.
Now the biggest fish market in England (In value) , Brixham handles landings from around 100 local trawlers and as many again from across the country — underlining the urgent need for its long-awaited, multi-million-pound expansion.
Brixham Trawler Agents, which operates the market, revealed that last week saw a new record for both sales and volume.
“We had a record week last week,” said BTA. “We sold a record-breaking £2.1 million worth of fish — a massive 431 tonnes, the highest tonnage this year. That’s an average of 86 tonnes per day, carefully graded into thousands of boxes.”
To put that into perspective, 431 tonnes is equivalent to the weight of 290 cars or 36 double-decker buses.
“On Friday alone,” added BTA, “our night shift team graded 105 tonnes of fish into 5,840 boxes — covering an area equivalent to seven tennis courts.”

BTA Managing Director Barry Young said: "Last week was the biggest of the year so far. There were a few factors — strong fish prices , fine weather, and the start of the cuttlefish landings.
"It’s an incredible achievement and only possible thanks to the outstanding efforts of our BTA team — our night, evening, afternoon and day shifts all worked exceptionally hard. They absolutely smashed it.”
The market’s record annual sales currently stand at £62 million, a figure BTA hopes to match again this year, maybe even better. Just five years ago, annual sales were around £40 million.
“We’re now taking fish from all over the country,” said Mr Young. “Space is getting tight, so we’re just waiting for the fish market extension to move forward.”
The much-needed development is part of a £30 million Levelling Up funding package from the Government, aimed at giving the port more working space and modern facilities.
It is estimated that the investment could increase the value of landed fish by up to £20 million per year within five years, create dozens of additional year-round jobs, and generate over £11 million annually in added value across fishing and related industries.
The latest plans are expected to go out for public consultation in January.

Last week’s record-breaking haul — which even included a giant bluefin tuna — was described by Brixham Fish Market as the result of a “perfect storm of good fishing, good weather and strong prices, all coming together at just the right time.”
Particular praise went to the hardworking market teams who washed around 35,000 boxes, kept the ice plant running, topped up fuel tanks, and ensured all machinery stayed operational. The export team was also commended for handling logistics “brilliantly,” while the office staff settled 180 boats on Friday alone, and auctioneers kept the sales running smoothly.
“A huge thank you and well done to all our managers, supervisors and staff on every shift,” said BTA. “Your dedication has been invaluable.”