California

Description: Required for fishermen selling all or a portion of their catch to the ultimate consumer.

Annual Fee: $98.88 (2015, subject to change)

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• ​Not required if have a Fish Receiver’s License (see next section).
• Does not allow wholesaling, processing, receiving or selling others’ catch, or importing product.
• Cannot be used by others (e.g., spouse, business partner, employee) at any time, only by the licensed fisherman. 

Description: Required for fishermen selling all or a portion of their catch to someone other than the ultimate consumer (e.g., restaurant, retail market).

Annual Fee: $773.75 (2015, subject to change)

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• Not required if selling to a person who has a Fish Receiver’s License.
• Can be used in place of the Fisherman’s Retail License.
• Required if processing the catch, along with a Fish Processor’s License (see next section). 
• Required if purchasing fish from another commercial fisherman not licensed as a fish receiver.

Description: Required if processing fish for sale or delivery to individuals other than the ultimate consumer (e.g., restaurant, retail market)

Annual Fee: $773.75 (2015, subject to change)

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• Required for processing, including cleaning, cutting, gutting, scaling, shucking, peeling, cooking, curing, salting, canning, breading, packaging, or packing fish.
• Not required if cleaning, heading, gutting, or chilling catch onboard solely to maintain fish quality.
• Fish Receiver’s License also required to sell the processed catch (see previous section).

Description: Allows a fisherman to conduct any combination of the activities of a fish receiver, fish processor, fish wholesaler, fish importer and a fisherman retailer.

Annual Fee: $1,923 (2015, subject to change)

Description: Certified (approved and registered) scales must be used to sell seafood. 

Annual Fee: Scale registration and associated fees vary and are assessed by each county. 

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• Appropriate scales are available from scale dealers. Before purchasing and using a scale, obtain the type of approval and the associated type-approval number of the scale from the dealer or scale manufacturer.
• Counties have different procedures for testing and registering scales. Whereas some require that the scale be brought into their office for testing, others will arrange for an inspector to come out and test the scale for a fee.
• Seafood must be sold by weight, not piece.
• Product that is weighed and packaged without the customer present should be labeled with the weight sold. Additional information also may be needed on the label per the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act.

• Registration required prior to initiating processing*, unless product is processed and sold on-site at a retail food facility (e.g., restaurant, fish market).
• Must evaluate whether a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan is required for your processing operation.
• Processing in the City of Vernon and/or Los Angeles, Orange and/or San Bernardino Counties also requires a local Food Processing Permit (see next section).

*Processing (as defined by FDA) includes handling, storing, preparing, heading, eviscerating, shucking, freezing, changing into different market forms, manufacturing, preserving, packing, labeling, dockside unloading, or holding fish and fishery products. It excludes practices such as heading, eviscerating, or freezing solely to prepare a fish for holding on board a commercial fishing vessel.

May be required if selling seafood at an open-air fishermen’s or farmers’ market. Permits may be required for each vendor and/or the organizer.  

May be needed if the catch is sold from a mobile unit (e.g., food truck) or a fixed (permanent) facility (e.g., retail market). Also may be required when storing seafood before it is distributed (e.g., CSFs, seafood buying clubs). 

Required for retail food facilities that prepare, handle or serve unpackaged foods. 

For temporary food facilities, an owner or person in charge must be able to demonstrate adequate knowledge of food safety principles as they relate to the operation. In this case, a Food Safety Certificate is highly recommended but is not required.    

Required when selling processed food products to the ultimate consumer in the City of Vernon, and/or Los Angeles, Orange and/or San Bernardino Counties in addition to the Processed Food Registration issued by CDPH FDB (see above).

Local harbors/marinas may have their own requirements for selling one's catch off the boat or at a dockside (or fishermen’s) market. In some cases, only certain products or types of markets are allowed. 

City government may require a business license, vendor’s license, or both if selling from a vehicle or stand within city limits. Also, selling from private property requires proof of permission from the property owner, having an appropriate business license, and meeting local zoning requirements.

Environmental health departments of some cities (e.g., Vernon) have additional requirements for selling to individuals other than the ultimate consumer.

County planning departments may require meeting zoning regulations and providing proof of permission from appropriate agencies (e.g., state highway division, county road office) when selling from a vehicle or stand on a public right-of-way where others can transit or from property owners if selling from private property.

Environmental health departments of some counties (e.g., Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino) have additional requirements for selling to individuals other than the ultimate consumer.