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A charity fish auction has the same requirements for safety and cleanliness as any business selling food. Fish sold at auction must be safe to eat and handled and stored appropriately.
The requirements on this page also apply to charity fish raffles.
What is a charity fish auction?
Some recreational fishing clubs and other non-profit organisations auction or raffle fish caught during fishing competitions, with the money raised going to official charities.
People and organisations supplying fish for auction or raffles are responsible for ensuring the fish is safe to eat.
Legal requirements
Obtain a permit
Recreational fishers in NSW are not permitted to sell or auction their catch under the Fisheries Management Act 1994. However, organisations can apply for a permit from NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), which authorises the sale of fish by auction for a charitable purpose.
To apply, complete the s37 Charity Fish Auction application form (PDF, 189 KB) and email it to fisheries.permits@dpird.nsw.gov.au
Notify the council
Once a permit has been issued, organisers must notify their local council of the event.
Storage and handling
Organisers and participants much ensure the fish supplied at auction is suitable and safe to eat.
Anyone handling fish must wash their hands before handling fish at any stage, including the weigh-in, gilling and gutting.
Capture and storage of fish by competitors
Competitors supplying fish for auction must:
- have suitable covered containers for storing fish
- have enough ice to keep fish cold after capture.
When storing fish:
- all storage containers must be cleaned before use to avoid cross contamination
- bait must not be stored in the same container as the fish
- fish that are not held live must be killed humanely and quickly, then placed on ice (or under refrigeration below 5 °C) immediately after capture
- fuel and other chemicals must be kept away from the fish.
Storage and handling before the auction
Fish to be auctioned must:
- remain covered on ice or under refrigeration below 5°C at all times
- have ice replenished if needed before the auction
- be placed in a commercial refrigerator if storage is required for more than 8 hours.
Organisers should not accept fish they suspect have not been properly handled or stored, or fish caught in Sydney Harbour.
During the auction
During the auction, fish must be kept covered and on ice (or under refrigeration at <5°C).
Gilling and gutting
- All equipment must be cleaned before use, including boards or surfaces used to gill and gut fish. Surfaces such as park bench tops cannot be used to gill and gut fish to be auctioned.
- After gilling and gutting, the fish must be placed back on ice (or under refrigeration below 5°C) and covered.
- All equipment should be cleaned after use.
Seafood risks
Auction organisers should know the potential risks associated with the consumption of certain fish.
- Scombroid poisoning is caused from eating scombroid and scombroid-like fish (for example, tuna, mackerel, mahi-mahi, amberjack) on which certain bacteria have grown due to failure to keep the fish cold.
- Puffer fish poisoning can be caused by ingestion of tetrodotoxins found naturally in many species of puffer fish.
- Mercury occurs naturally in large predatory fish such as sharks and billfish. For health reasons, it is recommended pregnant women and children up to 6 years old limit their consumption of these fish.
- DPIRD places conditions on the charity auction of sharks and billfish. For more information refer to the Charity Fish Auction Permit application form (PDF, 189 KB).
- Escolar or oilfish can cause keriorrhoea (a kind of diarrhoea) in some people. These fish contain an indigestible wax which is a natural laxative. Susceptible people usually develop symptoms 30 minutes to 36 hours after eating the fish. The condition is not ongoing or life threatening. No cooking or handling practices of these fish can prevent keriorrhoea.
- Test results from 2005 revealed elevated levels of dioxin in prawns and bream in Sydney Harbour. Auction organisers must not accept for auction fish caught in Sydney Harbour.