The Sydney Fish Market, a vibrant and bustling marketplace that serves as the heart of Sydney’s seafood industry. This market, located on the Blackwattle Bay foreshore in Pyrmont, is the largest working fish market in the Southern Hemisphere and has been a cornerstone of Sydney’s culinary scene for over 150 years.

The Sydney Fish Market operates a Dutch auction system, a unique method that ensures the seafood is sold quickly and at fair prices. The auction starts at 5:30am every weekday, with over 100 buyers bidding on more than 1000 crates of fresh seafood every hour. This equates to approximately 20 tonnes of seafood sold per hour, or about 2900 crates (50-55 tonnes) every day!

The auction is silent, starting at a price above the anticipated value of the product, and decreases until a bid is made. The starting price is typically set $2 to $5 above the expected selling price. To keep the process efficient, three clocks auction seafood simultaneously.

The seafood arrives at the market throughout the night from various sources, including local NSW fishers, farms, cooperatives, and even fishers from Tasmania, the Northern Territory, and New Zealand. On any given morning, you can find over 100 different species on the auction floor, from Mud Crabs to Mussels, Swordfish to Snapper. It’s truly a seafood lover’s paradise!

The Sydney Fish Market is committed to sustainability. They work closely with the fishing industry, government, and scientists to ensure that the seafood sold is sustainable and that the marine environment is protected for future generations.

We invite you to share your thoughts and experiences about the Sydney Fish Market and its unique auction system. Have you visited the market? What was your experience like? What’s your favourite seafood dish? Join the discussion below!

Pic taken by Mike Fernandes at the Sydney Fish Markets 

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