Fish farming concessions are mainly in the east and south east of the Island's intertidal and subtidal zone, due to the favourable topography and weather conditions. There is also a subtidal concession in St Aubin's Bay.
Disease status of fish, shellfish and crustacea
Jersey has a high health status with regard to fish, mollusc and crustacean diseases. The listed diseases and disease status for Jersey are on our notifiable diseases page.
Control areas for notifiable disease outbreaks
If a notifiable disease is confirmed, Natural Environment (NE) puts controls in place to limit the spread of disease. These are known as confirmed designations.
If your fish or shellfish are in a confirmed designation, you must:
- comply with any conditions issued by NE
- get written permission from NE to move fish and / or shellfish and equipment (allow at least 5 working days)
A Jersey Notice of Confirmed Designation has been made for shellfish - Bonamia ostreae.
New Concessions
Natural Environment is responsible for administration and control of the fish farming industry. As crown land is used by the industry it is necessary to ensure wide and comprehensive consultation before a new concession is granted. Those consulted include:
- the Fisheries and Marine Resources Panel
- Jersey Harbours
- the Natural Environment section of the Department of the Environment
- members of the public
Fish farm licence application form
Marine shellfish farming
The Pacific Oyster, 'crassostrea gigas', currently forms the backbone of the industry with production equalling three quarters of the total production in the UK. Other species farmed are:
- the mussel, 'mytilus edulis'
- the scallop, 'pecten maximus'
- the ormer, 'haliotis tuberculata'
Marine fin fish farming
The only marine fin fish currently farmed is the turbot, 'scophthalmus maximus', at St Catherine’s.
Importation of stock
The Island has EU disease free status which means that any stock imported into Jersey must conform to strict rules.
Aquaculture production businesses (APB)
Under EU Legislation (Aquatic Animal Health) (Jersey) Regulations 2016, all APBs must be authorised by the Minister for the Environment. APBs normally include the following:
- finfish farms
- shellfish farms
- crustacean farms
You can download documents from the Public Register of Authorised Aquaculture Production Businesses:
Finfish farmers and importers
Shellfish farmers and importers (1)
Shellfish farmers and importers (2)
Importers of ornamental fish
It is an offence to operate an aquaculture production business without valid authorisation.
Shellfish monitoring
To ensure food safety is monitored in accordance with EU legislation, the Department of the Environment funds and carries out sampling programmes of Jersey's farmed shellfish harvesting industry.
Classification of shellfish harvesting areas
The production areas for bivalve molluscs in Jersey are detailed below. These are controlled by Annex II of Regulation 854/2004.
Classification of bivalve molluscs production areas 2019 / 2020
Sanitary surveys
Under EU regulations an assessment of sources of pollution must be undertaken and a sampling plan established for all new shellfish harvesting areas.
Shellfish harvesting areas: sanitary survey (States reports section)
Extension of the La Hurel bivalve mollusc production area 2015 (States reports section)
Extension of the La Hurel main bed north and south bivalve mollusc production areas 2017 (States reports section)
Biotoxin monitoring
Information relating to official control biotoxin testing of live bivalve molluscs within classified areas in Jersey.
Live bivalve molluscs biotoxin monitoring results 2019
Live bivalve molluscs biotoxin monitoring results 2018
Live bivalve molluscs biotoxin monitoring results 2017
Live bivalve molluscs biotoxin monitoring results 2016
Phytoplankton monitoring
This is carried out by the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) on behalf of the Department of the Environment.
Water samples are collected from designated shellfish growing areas. They are then analysed, by light microscopy, for various species of phytoplankton.
Water toxic algae monitoring results 2019
Water toxic algae monitoring results 2018
Water toxic algae monitoring results 2017
Water toxic algae monitoring results 2016
gov.je