What should I check before buying a fish market or seafood store?

Fresh fish leaves little room for error. A cooler that fails overnight or a supplier who stops delivering can hurt a seafood shop within days. So the checks that matter most are about what keeps the product cold, who keeps it coming and how much of it is lost before it is sold. Ask for each of these in writing where you can, and see them in person where you cannot.

Suppliers and skills

Ask which wholesalers, boats or importers supply the shop, how long each has done so, and whether the arrangement is in the owner’s personal name. Ask who orders, who cuts and filleting, and whether those people would stay. A buyer who cannot cut fish will rely on staff, and a shop that depends on one skilled person is exposed if that person leaves.

Cold chain and equipment

Inspect the walk-in cooler, display cases, ice machine, freezers and any tanks. Ask for service records, the age of each unit and whether any are leased. Ask what happens during a power failure. Our deli buying checklist covers similar equipment questions. Ask to see the shop’s food safety plan and its inspection records.

Waste, seasons and the lease

Ask how spoilage and waste are tracked and what happens to unsold fish at day’s end. Ask how sales move through the year, including holidays and slow months. Read the lease for what it says about drainage, odour, ventilation and changes to the space, since a fish shop strains premises more than most retail. Your lawyer can tell you what the lease allows.