Managing fish deliveries well:ordering, receiving, storage, disputes

01

When to place an order?

The rhythm is set by the fish auction (criée), not by your service. Many fish auctions sell early in the morning, such as Lorient, Le Guilvinec or Boulogne-sur-Mer; others in the afternoon, when the boats return, such as Sète; some do both: at Le Guilvinec, the offshore sale takes place at 5:30 am and the inshore sale at 3:30 pm, from Monday to Friday (see the Le Guilvinec fish auction). The fish merchant (mareyeur) buys, prepares and ships; the goods are generally delivered the next day, depending on the fish merchant and the carrier.

Three rules follow:

• With a fish merchant, you order the day before, for delivery generally the next day, depending on the fish merchant and the carrier. The cut-off time varies from one firm to another: ask for it, and note it down.
• With a local wholesaler, you can often order in the morning for the same day, depending on the wholesaler, from what they have in stock or received overnight.
• The morning price list (mercuriale) is valid "subject to landings". The later you order, the greater the risk that the product will be out, especially on species that are scarce that day. The price list guide explains how to read it.

02

A typical buying morning

Typical sequence for a restaurant or fishmonger in town, supplied by a fish merchant in Brittany and a local wholesaler. Only the sale times are published by the fish auctions; the rest is a guide, to be agreed with each supplier.

Sale times published by the operators of the fish auctions and by Semmaris for Rungis. The rest is a guide from the editorial team: the time price lists arrive, the order cut-off time and the delivery time vary by supplier and carrier.

03

Cancellations and substitutions: what to agree in advance?

If the fish merchant has already bought for you, cancelling leaves them with a product they will have to resell. Cancel early, in writing, and agree in advance with each supplier on what happens in the event of a cancellation.

Shortages, on the other hand, are inevitable: bad weather, quota reached, boat kept in port. It is better to set the rules before they happen:

1. Who decides? The supplier calls before shipping, or replaces on their own initiative.
2. With what? For each dish, note the acceptable substitutions: same species in the neighbouring size grade, or a similar species for the same cooking.
3. At what price? The price of the substitute is confirmed by message before shipping.
4. What to refuse? A thawed product instead of a fresh one, another area if your menu states it, a size grade that breaks your food cost.

04

How to check fish on receipt?

First the temperature and the packaging, then the fish, then the paperwork. The check is done before signing.

• Temperature. Fresh fish travels at the temperature of melting ice, 0 to +2 °C, and must not exceed +2 °C at any point of the product at the retailer or in catering (French order of 21 December 2009, Annex I). Insert a thermometer between two fish, or into the core of a fillet.
• Ice. Present, clean, not entirely melted; no standing water in the box.
• Label and paperwork. See the checklist in the Traceability and labelling of fresh fish guide.
• Weight and size grade. Weigh at least one box per delivery and count the pieces when the size grade is given per piece.

For the fish itself, the common reference is the European freshness scale (Regulation (EC) No 2406/96, Annex I), the one that classifies lots at the fish auction into categories Extra, A and B. On a price list, the category is not always shown; the scale remains the best tool for judging what you receive.

05

The receiving inspection grid

For white fish (sea bass, cod, pollack, hake, Dover sole, monkfish, John Dory…). Tick the column that describes what you see.

Criteria: Regulation (EC) No 2406/96, Annex I, white fish. A very fresh fish, before rigor mortis, is not yet firm but is still classed Extra. Decision columns proposed by the editorial team.

For oily fish (mackerel, sardine, tuna), the scale also looks at the consistency of the flesh and the gill covers; they do not cope well with a break in the cold chain. Live crustaceans must react, live shellfish must be closed or close when touched.

06

How to store fish after receipt?

• Cold room between 0 and +2 °C, reserved for seafood if possible, or at least a dedicated area.
• Under ice for unpackaged fish, renewed as often as necessary; meltwater must not remain in contact with the product (Regulation (EC) No 853/2004, Annex III, Section VIII). Perforated trays drain it away: the fish must not sit in water.
• Separate raw fish from cooked products, and live shellfish from the rest.
• First in, first out: note the date of receipt on each tray.
• Fish intended to be served raw is frozen for at least 24 hours at -20 °C, or 15 hours at -35 °C, except for the exceptions provided for by Regulation (EC) No 853/2004.

The texts do not set a single shelf life for unpackaged fresh fish: it is your food safety management plan that sets your durations. The fresher the fish arrives, the more margin you have.

07

Disputes and credit notes: how to assert your rights?

A reliable supplier settles most disputes with a credit note on the next invoice. Ask for it in writing and check that it does appear on the statement.