NACE 10.2 – Processing and Preserving of Fish | Public Tenders

NACE 10.2: Fish processing in public tenders. CPV codes, contracting authorities and typical tenders for fish and seafood.

Definition: NACE 10.2 covers the commercial processing of fish, crustaceans and molluscs into foodstuffs. This includes the filleting, smoking, salting, drying, freezing and preserving of fish and the manufacture of fish products such as fish fingers, canned fish and fish products for human consumption.

Legal basis: NACE Rev. 2 (Regulation (EC) No 1893/2006) · Last updated: April 2026

What does NACE 10.2 cover?

NACE 10.2 (Processing and preserving of fish) classifies businesses that process fish and seafood into ready-to-eat or further-processable products — an area of growing importance in institutional catering in the public sector.

Group 10.2 within Division 10 (Manufacture of food products) covers the following activities:

Activity	Description	Typical products
Fish filleting	Processing of fresh and frozen fish	Salmon fillets, cod fillets, trout
Smoking and curing	Preservation by smoke, salt or acid	Smoked salmon, matjes, Bismarck herring
Fish-canning	Sterilisation in cans or jars	Tuna, sardines, herring in sauce
Frozen processing	Shock-freezing and portioning	Fish fingers, frozen fillets, prawns
Crustacean and mollusc processing	Crabs, prawns, mussels, squid	Prawn cocktail, mussel preserves

Public contracting authorities relating to NACE 10.2 are municipal hospitals, publicly run school canteens, armed-forces catering and correctional facilities.

Public Tenders: Fish and Seafood

In the public sector, fish products are mainly procured through institutional catering contracts and food framework agreements — Friday fish days and nutritional standards in schools increase demand for certified fish products.

Typical types of contract

Fish supplies for large kitchens: Framework agreements for fresh and frozen fish to supply canteens, hospitals and schools
Ready-made fish products for institutional catering: Fish fingers, breaded fish fillets and fish dishes for school catering
Catering with fish component: Full-catering contracts for care homes with fish-based menu options
MSC-certified products: Contracting authorities increasingly require sustainably caught fish (MSC label) or aquaculture products (ASC label)
Canned fish for emergency catering: Procurement of long-life fish products for civil-protection stockpiles and emergency reserves

Thresholds and procedure types

Supply framework agreements for fish products in the public sector exceed the EU threshold for supply contracts depending on term and volume. Typical procedures are open procedures and framework agreements under Section 21 VgV, which can be used jointly by several contracting authorities.

Relevant CPV codes for NACE 10.2

CPV Code	Title	Area of application
15200000	Prepared and preserved fish	Top category fish and seafood
15211000	Fish fillets	Fresh or frozen
15220000	Frozen fish, fillets and other fish meat	Frozen fish for institutional catering
15230000	Dried or salted fish	Stockfish, klippfish, salted herring
15240000	Canned or tinned fish and other prepared or preserved fish	Tuna, sardines, mackerel in cans
15250000	Seafood	Prawns, crabs, mussels, lobster
15211100	Fresh fish fillets	Breaded fish products for school catering

Current tenders can be found on TED and national procurement platforms.

Contracting Authorities and Bidders

Public contracting authorities

Schools and day-care facilities under municipal sponsorship and municipal hospitals and care homes are the most frequent contracting authorities for fish products. The German Nutrition Society (DGE) recommends one to two fish meals per week, which is reflected in catering standards for public institutions. Armed-forces catering offices and correctional facilities also regularly procure fish products. Procurement consortia (e.g. municipal purchasing cooperatives) frequently bundle the requirements of several facilities.

Companies and bidders

Fish-processing businesses and traders seeking public contracts typically require:

EU approval under Regulation (EC) 853/2004: Mandatory evidence for businesses that process fishery products
HACCP documentation: Seamless evidence of cold-chain monitoring
Sustainability certificates: MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) and/or ASC (Aquaculture Stewardship Council) are required as an award criterion or minimum requirement
Supply logistics: Reliable refrigerated transport chain, where applicable daily fresh-fish delivery
Origin evidence: Indication of the catch area (FAO zone) under the EU labelling regulation

Frequently Asked Questions about NACE 10.2 and Public Tenders

What sustainability requirements are imposed in fish tenders? More and more contracting authorities require MSC-certified wild catch or ASC-certified aquaculture products as a minimum requirement or weight these certificates as an award criterion. Origin evidence (catch area, fishing method) under EU fisheries law is also required.

Can fish traders (without their own processing) participate in tenders? Yes, provided the trader can supply the required quality and origin evidence for the products delivered. NACE classification 10.2 applies to processing businesses; traders fall under NACE 46.38. For public tenders, what matters is whether the requirements (approval, cold chain, certification) are met — regardless of NACE classification.

NACE 10.2 in context: Section C and Division 10

NACE C – Manufacturing: Parent section
NACE 10 – Manufacture of food products: Food-production division
NACE 10.1 – Processing and preserving of meat: Meat and sausage products
NACE 10.3 – Processing and preserving of fruit and vegetables: Preserves, frozen vegetables, juices

Last updated: April 2026 All information is provided without guarantee. For legally binding advice, please consult a law firm specialising in public procurement law.