http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2003/461/madeThe Fish Labelling (England) Regulations 2003Food standardsFood labellingKing's Printer of Acts of Parliament2011-07-04FOOD, ENGLAND These Regulations, which extend to England only, provide for the execution and enforcement of Title 1, Chapter 2 of Council Regulation (EC) 104/2000 on the common organisation of the markets in fishery and aquaculture products as applied by Commission Regulation (EC) 2065/2001 laying down detailed rules on the application of Council Regulation (EC) 104/2000 as regards informing consumers about fishery and aquaculture products. The Fish Labelling (England) Regulations 2003reg. 4(2)The Fish Labelling (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2006reg. 2(a)reg. 1(1)The Fish Labelling (England) Regulations 2003Sch.The Fish Labelling (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2006reg. 2(b) Sch.reg. 1(1)The Fish Labelling (England) Regulations 2003RegulationsThe Fish Labelling (England) Regulations 2010reg. 11(a)reg. 1 2003 No. 461 FOOD, ENGLAND The Fish Labelling (England) Regulations 2003 Made 26th February 2003 Laid before Parliament 6th March 2003 Coming into force 28th March 2003 The Secretary of State, in exercise of the powers conferred on him by sections 16(1)(e) and (f), 17(2), 26(3) and 48(1) of the Food Safety Act 1990 and of all other powers enabling him in that behalf, having had regard in accordance with section 48(4A) of that Act to advice given by the Food Standards Agency and after consultation both as required by Article 9 of Regulation (EC) No. 178/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council and in accordance with section 48(4) and (4B) of the said Act, hereby makes the following Regulations: Citation, commencement and extent 1 These Regulations may be cited as the Fish Labelling (England) Regulations 2003, shall come into force on 28th March 2003 and shall extend to England only. Interpretation 2 In these Regulations— “Regulation 104/2000” means Council Regulation (EC) No. 104/2000 on the common organisation of the markets in fishery and aquaculture products; “Regulation 2065/2001” means Commission Regulation (EC) No. 2065/2001 laying down detailed rules for the application of Council Regulation (EC) No. 104/2000 as regards informing consumers about fishery and aquaculture products; and any expressions used in these Regulations and in Regulation 104/2000 or Regulation 2065/2001 have the same meaning as in those Regulations. Offences relating to consumer information 3 1 Any person who, in contravention of Article 4.1 of Regulation 104/2000 (consumer information) as read with Regulation 2065/2001, offers for retail sale to the final consumer any of the products to which that Article applies shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale. 2 Any person who fails to comply with Article 8 of Regulation 2065/2001 (traceability and control) shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale. Lists of commercial designations 4 1 As regards England, the list of commercial designations which the United Kingdom is required to draw up and publish under Article 4(2) of Regulation 104/2000 is that set out in the Schedule to these Regulations, and accordingly, the commercial designations set out in that Schedule are names prescribed by law for the purposes of regulations 6(1), 7 and 8(a) of the Food Labelling Regulations 1996. 2 In relation to a species included both in the Schedule to these Regulations and in a list published in English under Article 4(2) of Regulation 104/2000 having effect in another Member State or in another part of the United Kingdom, the commercial designation for that species in the list having effect in that other Member State or part of the United Kingdom shall be an alternative to the commercial designation for that species set out in the Schedule to these Regulations. Omission of reference to the production method 5 In the case described in Article 4.2 of Regulation 2065/2001 (situation where it is obvious from commercial designation and catch area that the species is caught at sea) it shall not be a contravention of Article 4.1 of Regulation 104/2000 to offer for retail sale to the final consumer a fisheries product to which that Article applies without the product being marked or labelled with the production method. Small quantities of products 6 1 For the purposes of Article 4(1) of Regulation 104/2000 as read with Article 7 of Regulation 2065/2001, the small quantity of products which may be sold directly to consumers shall be products to a value not exceeding 20 Euro for each purchase. 2 For the purposes of this regulation, the reference to 20 Euro shall be taken to be a reference to the sterling equivalent of that number of Euro, converted by reference to the rate of conversion published annually on the first working day of the preceding September in the C series of the Official Journal of the European Communities or, if no rate is published in it on that day, the first rate published in it thereafter. Additional information relating to the catch area 7 The indication of catch area required by Article 4(1)(c) of Regulation 104/2000 may, where the circumstances described in Article 5(1)(c) of Regulation 2065/2001 apply, indicate the various Member States or third countries in which the product was farmed. Provisional commercial designations 8 1 For the purposes of Article 2 of Regulation 2065/2001 (provisional commercial designations), the Food Standards Agency (“the Agency”) shall be the competent authority. 2 The Agency shall draw up and publish a list of provisional commercial designations laid down pursuant to the said Article 2. Enforcement 9 Each food authority shall enforce and execute these Regulations in its area. Application of various provisions of the Act 10 The following provisions of the Act shall apply for the purposes of these Regulations with the modification that any reference in those provisions to the Act or Part of the Act shall be construed as a reference to these Regulations and to those provisions of Regulation 104/2000 and Regulation 2065/2001 to which these Regulations relate— a section 3 (presumption that food is intended for human consumption); b section 20 (offences due to fault of another person); c section 21 (defence of due diligence) as it applies for the purposes of section 8, 14 or 15; d section 30(8) (which relates to documentary evidence); e section 32 of the Act (powers of entry); f section 33(1) (obstruction etc of officers); g section 33(2) with the modification that the reference to “any such requirement as is mentioned in subsection (1) (b) above” shall be deemed to be a reference to any such requirement as is mentioned in that subsection as applied by sub-paragraph (f) above; h section 35(1) (punishment of offences) insofar as it relates to offences under section 33(1) as applied by sub-paragraph (f) above; i section 35(2) and (3) insofar as it relates to offences under section 33(2) as applied by sub-paragraph (g) above; j section 36 (offences by bodies corporate); k section 44 (protection of officers acting in good faith). Revocation 11 Paragraph 1 of Schedule 1 to the Food Labelling Regulations 1996 (prescribed names of fish and shellfish) is revoked insofar as it extends to England. Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Health Hazel Blears Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Department of Health 26th February 2003 SCHEDULE COMMERCIAL DESIGNATIONS Regulation 4 1 1 Subject to sub-paragraphs (2) and (3) of this paragraph, the commercial designation for any species of fish specified in column 2 of the following Table shall be a name specified for that species in the corresponding entry in column 1 of the said Table. 2 A customary name may be used for any species of fish which has been subjected to smoking or any similar process, unless the name of the species in column 2 of the following Table is followed by an asterisk. In such cases the name used for the food when the fish is smoked shall be either— a a name specified for that species in column 1 of the said Table preceded by the word “smoked”, or b except in the case of Salmo salar (L.), “smoked Pacific salmon”. 3 Sub-paragraph (1) of this paragraph, as read with the following Table, shall not apply to fish regulated by Council Regulation (EEC) No 2136/89 laying down common marketing standards for preserved sardines, or Council Regulation (EEC) No 1536/92 laying down common marketing standards for preserved tuna and bonito.
Column 1Column 2
Commercial designationSpecies of fish
Sea Fish
AnchovyAll species of the family Engraulidae
BarracudaAll species of Sphyraena
BarramundiLates calcarifer
Bass or Sea bassDicentrarchus labrax (L.)
Japanese sea bassLateolabrax japonicus
Spotted sea bassDicentrarchus punctatus
Southern rock bassParalabrax callaensis
BigeyeAll species of Priacanthus
Bluefish or TailorPomatomus saltatrix
BogueBoops boops
Bonito All species of Sarda All species of Euthynnus, with the exception of Euthynnus (Katsuwonus) pelamis All species of Auxis
BrillScophthalmus rhombus (L.)
BrislingSprattus sprattus (L.) when canned
Catfish or Rockfish or WolffishAll species of Anarhichas
CobiaRachycentron canadum
Cod or CodlingGadus morhua
Pacific cod or CodGadus macrocephalus
Greenland cod or CodGadus ogac
Saffron codEleginus gracilis
Red codPseudophycis bachus
Blue codParapercis colias
Coley or Saithe or CoalfishPollachius virens (L.)
CongerAll species of Conger
Croaker or Drum or JewfishAll species of the family Sciaenidae
DabLimanda limanda (L.)
Yellowtail dabLimanda ferruginea
Pacific sand dabCitharichthys sordidus
Dogfish or Flake or Huss or Rigg or Rock Salmon or Rock Eel All species of Galeorhinus All species of Mustelus All species of Scyliorhinus Galeus melastomus Squalus acanthias (L.)
Dory or John Dory or St Peter’s fishZeus faber (L.)
EelAll species of Anguilla
EmperorAll species of Lethrinus
Escolar or Snake MackerelAll species of the family Gempylidae
FlounderPlatichthys flesus (L.)
Flying fishAll species of the family Exocoetidae
GreenlingOphiodon elongatus
Grouper All species of Mycteroperca All species of Epinephelus
Gurnard All species of the family Triglidae Peristedion cataphractum (L.)
HaddockMelanogrammus aeglefinus (L.)
Hake All species of Merluccius Alternatively, the following may be used
Cape hake Merluccius capensis Merluccius paradoxus
White hakeUrophycis tenuis
Halibut Hippoglossus hippoglossus (L.) Hippoglossus stenolepis
Black halibut or Mock halibutReinhardtius hippoglossoides (Walbaum)
HerringClupea harengus (L.)
HilsaTenualosa ilisha
HokiMacruronus novaezelandiae
Chilean hokiMacruronus magellanicus
Jack or Scad or Horse Mackerel or Trevally All species of Caranx All species of Hemicaranx All species of Seriola All species of Trachurus All species of Decapterus
KingklipGenypterus capensis
LadyfishAll species of the family Elopidae
LingAll species of Molva
Lumpfish or LumpsuckerCyclopterus lumpus
MackerelAll species of Scomber
King Mackerel or KingfishScomberomorus cavalla
Mahi MahiCoryphaena hippurus
MarlinAll species of Makaira
MegrimAll species of Lepidorhombus
MilkfishChanos chanos
Monk(fish) or Angler(fish) Lophius piscatorius (L.) Lophius americanus
Cape monk(fish) or Cape angler(fish)Lophius vomerinus
Red mulletAll species of Mullus
GoatfishAll other species of the family Mullidae
Grey mullet All species of Mugil All species of Liza All species of Chelon
Opah or MoonfishAll species of Lampris
Orange roughyHoplostethus atlanticus
ParrotfishAll species of the family Scaridae
PicarelSpicara smaris
PilchardSardina pilchardus (Walbaum)
Pacific pilchardSardinops sagax that has been caught in the Pacific Ocean
South Atlantic pilchardSardinops sagax that has been caught in the South Atlantic Ocean
PlaicePleuronectes platessa (L.)
American plaiceHippoglossoides platessoides (Fabr.)
Pollack or Pollock or LythePollachius pollachius (L.)
Pacific pollack or Pacific pollock or Alaska pollack or Alaska pollockTheragra chalcogramma (Pallas)
Pomfret or Butterfish All species of Brama All species of Stromateus All species of Pampus
Poor codTrisopterus minutus
Pout or Pout Whiting or Pouting or BibTrisopterus luscus
Rainbow runnerElagatis bipinnulata
Redfish or Ocean perch or Rose fish All species of Sebastes All species of Helicolenus
SablefishAnoplopoma fimbria
SailfishAll species of Istiophorus
SardineSmall Sardina pilchardus (Walbaum)
SardinellaAll species of Sardinella
Scabbard fish or Sabre or Sabre fish or Silver sabre or Black sabre Lepidopus caudatus Aphanopus carbo
Sea bream or PorgyAll species of the family Sparidae except Boops boops
Sild Small Clupea harengus (L.), when canned Small Sprattus sprattus (L.), when canned
Skate or Ray or RokerAll species of Raja
Smelt or SparlingAll species of Osmerus
Snapper All species of the family Lutjanidae Alternatively, the following may be used
Jobfish All species of Aphareus All species of Aprion All species of Pristipomoides
SnookAll species of Centropomus
Sole or Dover soleSolea solea (L.)
Butter soleIsopsetta isolepis
Californian soleParophrys vetulus
Lemon soleMicrostomus kitt (Walbaum)
Petrale soleEopsetta jordani
Rex sole or Long-finned soleGlyptocephalus zachirus
Rock soleLepidopsetta bilineata
Pacific soleMicrostomus pacificus
Torbay sole or WitchGlyptocephalus cynoglossus (L.)
SpratSprattus sprattus (L.), except when canned
SwordfishXiphias gladius
TarponAll species of the family Megalopidae
Threadfin breamAll species of Nemipterus
Toothfish or Icefish Dissostichus mawsoni Dissostichus eleginoides
Tuna or TunnyAll species of Thunnus
Skipjack tuna (or tuna)Katsuwonus pelamis
Albacore tuna (or tuna)Thunnus alalunga
Yellowfin tuna (or tuna)Thunnus albacares
Bluefin tuna (or tuna)Thunnus thynnus
Bigeye tuna (or tuna)Thunnus obesus
TurbotPsetta maxima
WahooAcanthocybium solandri
Whitebait Small Clupea harengus (L.) Small Sprattus sprattus (L.) (except when canned)
WhitingMerlangius merlangus (L.)
Blue whitingMicromesistius poutassou (Risso)
Southern blue whitingMicromesistius australis
Winter flounderPseudopleuronectes americanus (Walbaum)
Salmon and Freshwater Fish
BachaEutropiichthys vacha
BatashiPseudeutropius atherinoides
Carp All species of the family Cyprinidae Alternatively the following may be used
MowralaAmblypharyngodon mola
BanspataDanio devario
BataLabeo bata
KalibousLabeo calbasu
GhaniaLabeo gonius
RuhiLabeo rohita
PuntiPuntius sarana
ChelapataSalmostoma bacaila
Catfish or American catfish or Channel catfishAll species of the family Ictaluridae
Catfish All species of the family Clariidae All species of the family Siluridae All species of the family Bagridae Alternatively the following may be used
MagurClarias batrachus
GulshaMystus bleekeri
BuzuriMystus tengara
TengraMystus vittatus
PabdaOmpok pabda
AyreSperata aor
BoalWallago attu
ChapilaGudusia chapra
CharAll species of Salvelinus
KakilaXenentodon cancila
KeskiCorica soborna
KhalishaColisa fasciatus
KoiAnabas testudineus
LargebaimMastacembelus armatus
MeniNandus nandus
Nile perchLates niloticus
Pacific dory or Vietnamese solePangasius bocourti
PatabaimMacrognathus aculeatus
Queen fishBotia dario
River cobbler Pangasius micronemus Pangasius hypophthalmus
Salmon or Atlantic salmonSalmo salar (L.)*
Cherry salmon or Pacific salmonOncorhynchus masou masou*
Chum salmon or Keta salmonOncorhynchus keta (Walbaum)*
Medium red salmon or Coho salmon or Silver salmonOncorhynchus kisutch (Walbaum)*
Pink salmonOncorhynchus gorbuscha (Walbaum)*
Red salmon or Sockeye salmonOncorhynchus nerka (Walbaum)*
Spring salmon or King salmon or Chinook salmon or Pacific salmonOncorhynchus tshawytscha (Walbaum)*
SholChanna striata
TakiChanna punctata
Tilapia All species of Tilapia All species of Oreochromis
Trout or Brown troutSalmo trutta trutta (L.) which has spent all of its life in fresh water
Sea trout or Salmon troutSalmo trutta trutta (L.) which has spent part of its life in sea water
Cut-throat trout or troutOncorhynchus clarki clarki
Rainbow trout or Steelhead trout or troutOncorhynchus mykiss
Shellfish
Abalone or OrmerAll species of Haliotis
Clam or Hard shell clam Mercenaria mercenaria (L.) Venus verrucosa (L.)
Clam or Razor clamAll species of Ensis and Solen
Geoduck or Geoduck clamPanopea abrupta
Surf clamAll species of Spisula
CockleAll species of Cerastoderma
Crab All species of the order Brachyura All species of the family Lithodidae
Crayfish All species of the family Astacidae All species of the family Parastacidae All species of the family Austroastacidae All species of the family Cambaridae
Cuttlefish All species of Sepia Rossia macrosoma
LobsterAll species of Homarus
Slipper lobsterAll species of the family Scyllaridae
Squat lobsterAll species of the family Galatheidae
Crawfish or Spiny lobster or Rock lobster All species of Panulirus All species of Palinurus All species of Jasus
Indian ocean lobsterPuerulus sewelli
MusselAll species of the family Mytilidae
OctopusAll species of Octopus
Oyster All species of Crassostrea All species of Ostrea
Oyster or Portuguese oysterCrassostrea angulata (Lmk.)
Oyster or Pacific oyster or Rock oysterCrassostrea gigas (Thunberg)
Oyster or Native oysterOstrea edulis (L.)
Prawn or Shrimp Whole fish (of a size which, when cooked, have a count of less than 397 per kg) or tails (of a size which, when peeled and cooked, have a count of less than 1,323 per kg) of— all species of the family Palaemonidae, all species of the family Penaeidae, and all species of the family Pandalidae
King prawn All species of the family Palaemonidae All species of the family Penaeidae Where the count is less than 123 per kg (head on/shell on) or less than 198 per kg (head off/shell on) or less than 242 per kg (head off/shell off)
Tiger prawn Penaeus monodon Penaeus semisulcatus Penaeus esculentus Penaeus kerathurus Penaeus japonicus Parapenaeopsis hardwickii Parapenaeopsis sculptilis
Scallop or King scallopPecten maximus
Atlantic scallop or ScallopPlacopecten magellanicus
Queen scallop or Queen or ScallopChlamys (Aequipecten) opercularis
Scallop or Common scallopAll species of the family Pectinidae
Scampi or Norway lobster or Dublin Bay prawn or LangoustineNephrops norvegicus (L.)
Pacific scampi Metanephrops andamanicus Metanephrops challengeri Metanephrops thomsoni
Shrimp Whole fish (of a size which, when cooked, have a count of 397 per kg or more) or tails (of a size which, when peeled and cooked, have a count of 1,323 per kg or more) of— all species of the family Palaemonidae, all species of the family Penaeidae, and all species of the family Pandalidae
Shrimp or Pink shrimpPandalus montagui
Shrimp or Brown shrimpAll species of Crangon
Squid All species of Loligo All species of Illex Ommastrephes sagittatus
Arrow squid Nototodarus sloani Nototodarus gouldi
WhelkAll species of Buccinum
WinkleAll species of Littorina
(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations, which extend to England only, provide for the execution and enforcement of Title 1, Chapter 2 of Council Regulation (EC) 104/2000 on the common organisation of the markets in fishery and aquaculture products as applied by Commission Regulation (EC) 2065/2001 laying down detailed rules on the application of Council Regulation (EC) 104/2000 as regards informing consumers about fishery and aquaculture products.

Title 1 of Chapter 2 of Council Regulation (EC) 104/2000 imposes requirements regarding the provision of information about the commercial designation, production method and catch area of certain fishery and aquaculture products offered for retail sale to the final consumer. It further provides for Member States to draw up and publish a list of commercial designations for at least the species listed in Annexes I to IV of the Regulation. Commission Regulation (EC) 2065/2001 describes in more detail the information to be provided to consumers and the exemptions that may be allowed. It also provides for the necessary information to be provided at each stage of the marketing process.

These Regulations: a provide a list, as regards England, of the commercial designations required to be drawn up by the United Kingdom (regulation 4 and the Schedule) and further provide for the granting of provisional commercial designations (regulation 8); b make provision as to the relaxation of the requirements in certain circumstances in relation to information about the production method (regulation 5); in the case of direct sales of small quantities to consumers by fishermen or aquaculture producers (regulation 6) and with regard to the inclusion of additional information about catch area (regulation 7); c create offences and prescribe penalties (regulation 3), specify enforcement authorities (regulation 9) and incorporate specified provisions of the Food Safety Act 1990 (regulation 10); d revoke the fish labelling requirements set out in paragraph 1 of Schedule 1 to the Food Labelling Regulations 1996 in relation to England (regulation 11).

A Regulatory Impact Assessment has been prepared and placed in the Library of each House of Parliament. Copies may be obtained from Food Labelling Division, Food Standards Agency, Aviation House, 125 Kingsway, London WC2B 6NH.

1990 c. 16. Functions formerly exercisable by “the Ministers” are now exercisable in relation to England by the Secretary of State pursuant to paragraph 8 of Schedule 5 to the Food Standards Act 1999 (1999 c. 28), and paragraphs 12 and 21 of that Schedule amend sections 17 and 48 of the 1990 Act. Functions of “the Ministers” so far as exercisable in relation to Wales were transferred to the National Assembly for Wales by S.I. 1999/672 and those functions so far as exercisable in relation to Scotland were transferred to the Scottish Ministers by section 53 of the Scotland Act 1998 (1999 c. 46). Regulation 13(4) of S.I. 2000/656 expressly authorises the Secretary of State to revoke and amend existing Regulations made by the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (whether with others or not) under the Food Safety Act 1990. Section 26(3) of the 1990 Act was amended by section 40(4) of, and Schedule 6 to, the Food Standards Act 1999. OJ No. L31, 1.2.2002, p. 1; laying down the general principles and requirements of food law, establishing the European Food Safety Authority and laying down procedures in matters of food safety. OJ No. L17, 21.1.2000, p. 22. OJ No. L278, 23.10.2001, p. 6. S.I. 1996/1499; regulation 6(4) (which defines “prescribed by law” for the purposes of regulations 6(1), 7 and 8(a)) was inserted by S.I. 1998/1398. OJ No. L212, 22.7.89, p. 79. OJ No. L163, 17.6.92, p. 1.