This paper gives a brief description of the United Kingdom's fish processing industry and possible future trends. Although the consumption offish in the United Kingdom is relatively modest, about 100 species are used to satisfy this demand. Processing such a diverse resource is difficult and this is exacerbated by uncertainties of supply, seasonal quality fluctuations and the rapid spoilage changes that occur when fish are kept at ambient temperatures.

The food market is highly competitive, which means that processors must make the best possible use of the resource to reduce costs and yet stimulate demand by improving the end product. This is often difficult to do using traditional practices, and so the industry has had to develop novel processing methods to make both conventional products and new ones that will stimulate demand. In the past the specialist retailer, the fishmonger, could be depended upon not only to encourage the purchase of fish but also to provide the finishing touches and to give some instruction on how to cook it. Stimulation of interest and assistance cannot be given so readily in retailing through supermarkets, and so the processor has had to give more attention to presentation, packaging and ensuring that the product can be cooked with little further preparation.