Shellfish Association of Great Britain

What Shellfish Association of Great Britain does

The Shellfish Association of Great Britain (SAGB) is a UK trade association founded in 1903 (originally as the Oyster Merchants' and Planters' Association, renamed in 1969) that represents the full shellfish supply chain — aquaculture farmers, wild-capture fishermen, processors, commercial traders, retailers, and Inshore Fisheries Conservation Authorities. Headquartered at Fishmongers' Hall in London, the association is led by Chief Executive David Jarrad, with a small staff of 1-10, and operates on recurring membership dues across multiple tiers, supplemented by an annual conference and event programming.

SAGB's core offerings combine advocacy with proprietary member resources. Its principal digital product is the Shellfish Waters Map, a member-only intelligence tool that integrates point-source environmental data (water company alerts, sewage treatment works, storm overflows, pollution incidents) with diffuse-source data (dissolved phosphorus, manure volumes, septic tanks, catchment summaries) to support shellfish production decisions. The association also stewards industry standards including the Codes of Practice for Crustacea Welfare across five supply-chain stages, and operates Fisheries Improvement Projects for Brown Crab and Nephrops (langoustine) that are accepted onto the Marine Stewardship Council Improvement Program. Recent strategic additions include the PotentShell report quantifying 400% growth potential in UK aquaculture, the Grand Coalition European data-exchange portal, and secretariat support for the newly formed All-Party Parliamentary Group for Shellfish Aquaculture.

Commercially, SAGB is a private, member-governed trade association with no venture capital, private equity backing, or parent company. Revenue is generated through subscription-style membership dues, with non-members receiving restricted content, and the organization partners with government bodies (Defra, MMO, Welsh Government, the Crown Estate), industry authorities (Seafish, MSC), academic institutions (University of Plymouth, University of Essex), and the Fishmongers' Company to execute its advocacy, standards, and research mandates across the UK.

Name

Shellfish Association of Great Britain

Legal name

Shellfish Association of Great Britain

Website

https://shellfish.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1903

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SAGB is a UK trade association, founded 1903, representing the shellfish supply chain — farmers, fishermen, processors, traders, and retailers — through membership dues, advocacy, the Shellfish Waters Map intelligence tool, welfare standards, fisheries improvement projects, and annual industry conferences.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industry Trade Association Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Shellfish Farming (112512), Shellfish Fishing (114112), Aquaculture (11251), Fish and Seafood Merchant Wholesalers (42446)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Fishing, Hunting And Trapping (900), Prepared Fresh Or Frozen Fish & Seafoods (2092)

akta.pro primary industry

Marine Shellfish Farming (e.g., oysters, mussels, clams) (AFAEAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Shellfish Wholesale (Crustaceans & Mollusks) (AFAIADAF), Shellfish Value-Added Products (Shucked Oysters, Mussels, Clams; Cooked/Marinated) (AFANALAK)

Keywords

• Shellfish industry advocacy
• Aquaculture trade association
• Fisheries improvement projects
• Shellfish welfare standards
• Industry membership services

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: SAGB generates revenue through annual membership fees from shellfish farmers, fishermen, processors, traders, retailers, restaurants, and other industry stakeholders. Multiple membership levels are available with unique industry-related discounts.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

SAGB is a membership-based trade association that represents and supports the UK shellfish industry through industry advocacy, regulatory engagement, welfare standards development, and member resources. It generates revenue primarily through annual membership dues from shellfish farmers, fishermen, processors, traders, retailers, and related organizations, providing them with tools such as the Shellfish Waters Map, fisheries improvement projects, welfare codes of practice, conferences, and direct lobbying with government bodies including Defra, MMO, and the APPG for Shellfish Aquaculture.

Product overview

The Shellfish Association of Great Britain (SAGB) is a trade association for the UK shellfish industry, not a software product company. Its offerings consist of member resources (Shellfish Waters Map), industry collaboration platforms (Grand Coalition Portal), fisheries improvement projects (Brown Crab FIP, Nephrops FIP), industry standards (Welfare Codes), research reports (PotentShell), annual conferences, and advocacy initiatives. These are services and programs for industry members rather than commercial software products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Shellfish Waters Map A practical, member-only intelligence tool that brings together multiple environmental data sources including water company live alerts, sewage treatment works, treated sewage discharges, storm overflows (CSOs), environmental pollution incidents, dissolved phosphorus, manure volumes, septic tanks, and catchment area summaries to help shellfish growers monitor water quality and make informed decisions.
• Grand Coalition Portal A European shellfish industry portal hosted by SAGB that facilitates exchange of data and ideas across the sector, enhancing standards and boosting sustainability of mollusc production. Free to all EMPA members.
• Brown Crab FIP A collaborative, industry-led partnership designed to improve the sustainable management of UK Brown Crab fisheries and strengthen social responsibility across the fleet, working towards MSC certification.
• Nephrops FIP A collaborative, industry-led partnership designed to improve the sustainable management of UK Nephrops fisheries (langoustine, Norway lobster, Dublin Bay prawn) over five years (2025-2030), accepted onto the Marine Stewardship Council Improvement Program.
• Welfare Codes for Crustacea Codes of Practice for Crustacea Welfare covering five sectors: Catching, Wholesale and Transport, Processing, Retail, and Food Service. Created by industry for industry with coordination from Seafish.
• PotentShell Report An evidence-based report outlining the opportunity for growth in UK shellfish aquaculture industry, presenting a clear message that England, Wales and Northern Ireland could increase farmed shellfish production by up to 400% over the next decade with the right political will and regulatory support.
• SAGB Annual Conference & Dinner Annual industry conference held at The Crown Estate offices with a gala dinner at Fishmongers' Hall, bringing together stakeholders to hear from Ministers about market opportunities, management of stocks, UK market, and international trade.
• Reputation Management Initiative A workstream under the Action for Cleaner Waters project focused on reputation management through social media channels to mitigate effects of poor water quality on public perception of shellfish quality.

Quantifiable outcome

• Shellfish industry could increase production by up to 400% with proper regulatory support (PotentShell report)
• +2 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SeafishcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership with Seafish (the UK sea fish industry authority) on multiple initiatives including welfare codes development, conference sponsorship, and industry research. Seafish coordinated the project for Codes of Practice for Crustacea Welfare.
• DefracoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary government department for environmental and rural affairs. SAGB engages with Defra's markets access team on export issues, participates in consultations, and advocates on regulatory matters affecting the shellfish industry.
• The Crown EstatecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConference partner and key stakeholder in offshore shellfish farming development. The Crown Estate owns the seabed and is involved in marine planning decisions affecting aquaculture sites.
• The Marine Management Organisation (MMO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment agency responsible for managing sea fisheries and marine protected areas. Conference partner and key regulatory body for shellfish aquaculture licensing and management.
• Welsh GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDevolved administration supporting shellfish aquaculture development in Wales. Conference partner and involved in regional shellfish policy and funding.
• The Fishmongers' CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of London's oldest livery companies that hosts SAGB at Fishmongers' Hall. Conference partner providing the venue for annual gala dinner and supporting industry initiatives including funding for catch welfare platform conference attendance.
• University of PlymouthcoreTechnology or IntegrationAcademic partner in the Ropes to Reefs Project, evaluating benefits of offshore mussel farming including ecosystem services and fish habitat restoration. Collaborators include Offshore Shellfish, Biome Algae, Scallop Ranch, and SAGB.
• ENVISIONcoreTechnology or IntegrationFisheries industry-science partnership that collaborated with Tethys Oysters Ltd. and University of Essex on research project determining ecosystem benefits provided by oyster aquaculture, measuring biodiversity and nitrogen cycling.
• University of EssexcoreTechnology or IntegrationAcademic partner in ENVISION research project studying ecosystem benefits of UK oyster aquaculture, measuring biodiversity and nitrogen cycling in English and Welsh waters.
• Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSAGB facilitates the Nephrops Fishery Improvement Project (FIP), which has been accepted onto the MSC Improvement Program supporting fisheries in making progress towards third-party certification.
• Grand CoalitionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean shellfish industry data and ideas exchange portal hosted by SAGB. Facilitates sharing of information across the European shellfish industry to enhance standards and sustainability. Free to all EMPA members.
• Catch Welfare PlatformminorOthersInternational platform focused on catch welfare in fisheries. SAGB attended the conference in Ijmuiden, Netherlands to gather information for the UK shellfish industry and align with scientific understanding on crustacean welfare.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC): Scotland-focused innovation centre that drives collaborative aquaculture R&D between industry, academia and government. Highly comparable in remit to SAGB's UK shellfish remit but narrower in species scope and limited to Scotland.
• Welsh Fishermen's Association: Trade association representing commercial fishermen in Wales. Closely comparable membership-based advocacy model to SAGB but focused solely on Welsh wild-capture fisheries rather than the wider UK shellfish supply chain.

Others

• Worshipful Company of Fishmongers: One of London's ancient livery companies and SAGB's host at Fishmongers' Hall. Functions as an industry patron and grant-maker for fisheries causes rather than a direct trade association peer, but is deeply entwined with SAGB's governance and profile.
• Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC): Global standards and certification body for responsible aquaculture. Operates adjacently to SAGB in shaping market access and buyer requirements, similar in function to MSC for wild fisheries; not a membership association but a relevant ecosystem peer.

Broad incumbents

• National Fisheries Institute (NFI): US-based trade association for the seafood industry, covering fish and shellfish across the supply chain. Comparable in membership-based advocacy and consumer-education model to SAGB, but operating at a much larger geographic and category scope.
• Marine Stewardship Council (MSC): Global standards body for sustainable fishing and seafood traceability. SAGB's Deputy CEO previously worked there, and SAGB runs its Nephrops FIP under the MSC Improvement Program — MSC is a peer in standards-setting and a partner in market-access enablement.

Emerging players

• National Aquaculture Association (NAA): US trade association serving the aquaculture industry across producers, feed suppliers, and service providers. Functions as an advocacy and information hub similar to SAGB, but US-centric and broader in species coverage.
• British Frozen Food Federation (BFFF): UK trade body for the frozen food industry, including seafood. Comparable membership-association structure with advocacy, training, and events, but broader across frozen food categories rather than shellfish-specific.

Direct peers

• Seafish: UK statutory sea fish industry authority and SAGB's most direct counterpart — a non-departmental public body funded by a levy on the seafood industry that delivers research, training, and statutory support to the UK seafood sector. Seafish and SAGB co-developed the 2024 Welfare Codes and co-sponsor the annual conference, making them natural peers and collaborators.
• European Mollusc Producers Association (EMPA): European-level trade body representing mollusc producers across the EU, sharing the same membership-association model and advocacy remit as SAGB but at a pan-European level. SAGB hosts the Grand Coalition portal free to EMPA members, evidencing direct operational linkage.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sagb
• Facebookfacebook.com/shellfishassociationgb

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Shellfish Association of Great Britain