Saint-Quay-Portrieux fish auction:king scallop from the Bay of Saint-Brieuc, the seasons and how to get fish delivered

01

The Saint-Quay-Portrieux fish auction in figures

Source: FranceAgriMer, sales declared at fish auctions (2024: workbook published on 2 July 2026; 2023: review of June 2025); ranks calculated by the editorial team.

In 2024, the fish auction sold 4% less than in 2023, mainly because king scallop fell by 14%. The average price did not move. Over ten years, the trend is downward (11,767 tonnes in 2015), as at most large fish auctions.

What sets Saint-Quay-Portrieux apart from a simple king scallop auction is the trawl: in 2024, exclusive trawlers brought in 45% of the volumes and 48% of the value, the trawlers that FranceAgriMer classifies as "non-exclusive" 31% and 29%, and dredgers 22% and 17% (editorial team's calculation from FranceAgriMer data). Hence a supply of groundfish (monkfish, John Dory, haddock, whiting, rays) alongside king scallop.

02

Which species can you find in Saint-Quay-Portrieux?

Source: FranceAgriMer, 2024 data; shares and ranks calculated by the editorial team on the total of French fish auctions.

King scallop makes up 36% of the volumes but only 26% of the value: its average price (€2.25/kg) is lower than the national average (€2.50/kg). Premium fish restore the balance: monkfish, John Dory, cuttlefish and squid together are worth more than €9 million. For John Dory, the Bay of Saint-Brieuc is the leading market in France: Erquy and Saint-Quay-Portrieux together sell nearly half of it.

03

King scallop from the Bay of Saint-Brieuc

King scallop fishing in the Bay of Saint-Brieuc is regulated by the Brittany regional fisheries committee, on a proposal from the Côtes-d'Armor departmental committee. The framework is set by a resolution of 26 August 2025: the season opens on 1 October at the earliest and closes on 14 May at the latest, on days and at hours set by decision as the season goes on.

For the 2026-2027 season, dredge fishing opened on Thursday 1 October 2026. The published decisions set the following days:

Source: Brittany regional committee for maritime fisheries, decisions No 144-2026 of 22 September 2026, No 164-2026 and No 167-2026 of 15 October 2026. The rest of the calendar is set during the season.

Four rules directly concern the buyer:

• About two fishing days a week, and one to two hours of dredging a day. Landings therefore arrive in bursts, on authorised days.
• A daily cap of 1,050 kg net per vessel in sectors 1 and 4, and 1,250 kg in sectors 2 and 3, crew's share (godaille) included.
• King scallop arrives whole. Shucking on board and landing scallop meat are prohibited: the scallop meat is prepared ashore.
• All catches are weighed and recorded by the body managing the fish auction halls, as soon as they are landed; in Saint-Quay-Portrieux, they are brought ashore on the slipway of the new fishing port.

The calendar changes every season and may be modified during the season depending on the resource and the market. For the current week, check with your fish merchant (mareyeur).

04

When to buy what? The calendar of the leading species

The calendar marks the months of high landings, read from the monthly sales of all French fish auctions in 2024. It shows the national rhythm, not that of Saint-Quay-Portrieux alone. For king scallop, fishing is closed everywhere from 15 May to 30 September inclusive (order of 12 May 2003).

National prices in 2024 clearly show the link with volumes. Monkfish sold for around €5/kg in May, at the height of landings, and more than €9/kg in December. John Dory was worth about €13 to €14/kg in January and November, more than €18/kg from July to September. Haddock went from about €2.10/kg in March to €4.20/kg in December, when landings are at their lowest. For king scallop, the national average price ranged from €2/kg in May, at the end of the season, to €2.90/kg in December.

05

How does the sale work?

• Bidding reserved for declared buyers with the auction hall operator, with proof of registration, a VAT identifier and a guarantee covering purchases (Article D932-9 of the French rural code). The sale time is not published: check with the fish auction or your fish merchant.
• A new operator since 2026. Since 1 January 2026, the Département des Côtes-d'Armor has entrusted the management of its seven fishing ports, including Saint-Quay-Portrieux and Erquy, to the SEM Bretagne Armor Pêche, under a public service delegation. The investment programme notably includes a new crane in Saint-Quay-Portrieux.
• Two fish auctions for one bay. Erquy, on the other side of the bay, sold 10,047 tonnes in 2024: with Saint-Quay-Portrieux, the Bay of Saint-Brieuc sold nearly 19,700 tonnes at auction, more than Boulogne-sur-Mer.

06

The fish merchants of the Bay of Saint-Brieuc

Around the port, fish merchanting (mareyage) companies buy in the hall, sort, grade, shell or pack and ship. As king scallop always arrives whole, the choice between live scallop in the shell, sold by weight, and scallop meat, with or without roe, is made ashore. The two are not compared at the same price: always ask what the line on the price list refers to. The price list guide explains how to read it, and our king scallop profile details size grades and yield.

We do not publish a list of fish merchants. Company profiles will come with their agreement.

07

How to get fish delivered from Saint-Quay-Portrieux?

For an importer, the pattern is the same up to departure: the fish merchant prepares, and the freight forwarder takes over. For export, see our English section and the directory of French seafood suppliers.