Top 10 Best Fishery Companies in Chichester

Fishing on the Sussex Coast

The waters off Chichester have supported fishing for as long as the settlement has existed. Today the industry is smaller than in its heyday but remains commercially and culturally important, and in some respects it is in better shape than the raw numbers suggest. Selsey is the district's principal fishing port, known particularly for crab and lobster, while Chichester Harbour supports shellfish cultivation, small-boat fishing and a substantial recreational and charter sector.

The character of the fleet matters. This is overwhelmingly a small-boat, inshore fishery: day boats using pots, nets and lines rather than large trawlers. That has significant implications for sustainability, for freshness, and for the way the catch reaches market. Fish landed at Selsey in the morning can be on a Chichester restaurant table the same evening, which is a genuine advantage that longer supply chains cannot replicate.

Ten Fishery Businesses in the District

Selsey Shellfish handles crab and lobster landed by the local potting fleet, processing and distributing to restaurants, wholesalers and direct customers across the region.

Selsey Fishermen's Co-operative reflects the collective tradition of the port, pooling landing, marketing and distribution so that small operators achieve better prices than they could individually.

Chichester Harbour Oysters represents the aquaculture side, cultivating oysters in the harbour's tidal creeks where water quality and nutrient conditions suit shellfish growth.

Bracklesham Bay Fisheries works the shallow inshore grounds with small boats targeting bass, bream, plaice and seasonal species.

Solent Inshore Fishing operates across the wider Solent and approaches, supplying fish markets and processors with mixed demersal catch.

Emsworth Shellfish Traders at the western edge of the harbour continue a shellfish trading tradition that once made the area nationally significant.

Itchenor Charter and Commercial Boats combine commercial fishing with charter and angling trips, a diversification model that smooths seasonal income.

Pagham Coastal Fisheries works the grounds east of Selsey Bill, landing crab, lobster and seasonal finfish.

West Wittering Fish Merchants supply retail and foodservice customers, handling filleting, preparation and distribution of locally landed catch.

Chichester Fish Market Traders complete the chain, connecting the fleet to restaurants, fishmongers and the public with the transparency that provenance-conscious buyers increasingly demand.

Sustainability and Stock Management

Inshore potting for crab and lobster is among the lower-impact fishing methods available. Pots are static, highly selective, and cause minimal seabed disturbance compared with mobile gear. Undersized and berried lobsters can be returned alive, and v-notching programmes protect breeding females.

Minimum conservation reference sizes, pot limits and seasonal restrictions are managed regionally, and local fishers generally participate in stock conservation actively because their livelihoods depend directly on the same grounds year after year. The self-interest here aligns well with conservation outcomes, which is not always true in fisheries management.

Chichester Harbour presents a different set of issues. As a protected area with intense recreational use, the harbour requires careful balancing of shellfish cultivation, bird habitat, water quality and boat traffic. Water quality in particular has become a prominent concern, with nutrient loading and sewage discharge affecting both shellfish safety and the wider ecosystem.

Market and Supply Chain

A persistent feature of British fisheries is that much of the highest-value catch is exported while domestic consumers eat imported species. Crab and lobster from Selsey have historically found strong markets in Europe and Asia. Recent years have seen more effort to build domestic demand, and Chichester's strong restaurant scene has supported that shift.

Direct sales have grown substantially. Quayside sales, online ordering and supply direct to local restaurants allow fishers to capture more value than selling through multiple intermediaries. For a small-boat fleet, that margin difference can determine whether a business is viable.

Traceability supports this. Buyers who can name the boat, the day and the grounds can charge accordingly, and consumers increasingly expect that level of detail for premium seafood.

Pressures on the Sector

The inshore fleet faces real difficulties. Fuel costs, insurance, gear replacement and regulatory compliance all weigh heavily on small operators. Crew recruitment is difficult, with few younger entrants willing to take on the hours and risk. Coastal development and competition for harbour space add further pressure.

Environmental change is also apparent. Warming water is shifting species distribution, with some traditional species becoming less reliable and others appearing more frequently. Storm frequency affects how many days a small boat can safely work, which directly limits annual earnings.

Why the Sector Still Matters

Beyond its economic contribution, the fishing industry is central to the identity of Selsey and the harbour villages. It sustains boatyards, engineers, merchants and restaurants, and it underpins a tourism appeal built substantially on a working coast rather than a purely ornamental one.

For consumers, the practical takeaway is simple. Buying local, seasonal seafood from a traceable inshore fishery supports a low-impact industry, delivers better freshness than anything trucked across the country, and keeps value circulating within the Chichester district rather than leaving it.