Table of Contents
How to Start a Wholesale Fishery Products Business with Meydan Free Zone
According to Mordor Intelligence¹, the UAE consumes over 220,000 metric tons of fish a year, more per capita than the global average, and imports roughly 70 percent of it. Local aquaculture supplies barely 2 percent of total demand¹.
That arithmetic has not changed in a decade, and it is not about to. With a coastline shared between the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, a population exceeding 12.5 million, and a tourism sector that welcomed 11.17 million overnight visitors to Dubai in just the first seven months of 2025, the gap between what the UAE catches and what it eats is the wholesale trader's permanent opportunity.
According to DigiRoads Research², the UAE seafood market is valued at USD 2.52 billion in 2025, projected to reach USD 2.88 billion by 2030. Mordor Intelligence¹ values it at USD 1.38 billion with shrimp as the fastest-growing segment.
According to Research and Markets³, the broader fisheries and aquaculture sector stands at USD 22.93 billion in 2025, heading for USD 29.41 billion by 2030 at 5.1 percent CAGR. Critically, 70 percent of imported seafood entering the UAE is redistributed onward to neighbouring markets¹, making the country not just a consumer but the region's primary seafood transit hub.
Dubai alone accounts for 40 percent of national seafood consumption, with over 67 percent of seafood moving through the on-trade channel: restaurants, hotels, and food service operations¹.
For wholesale traders importing and distributing fish, shrimp, and seafood products across the UAE and GCC, this is a market where import dependency is structural, re-export volumes multiply every shipment's value, and HORECA demand runs twelve months a year.
Meydan Free Zone offers 100% foreign ownership, zero corporate tax on qualifying income, full profit repatriation, and a fully digital licensing process, positioning seafood wholesalers at the centre of one of the Middle East's busiest cold-chain trade corridors.
Who is this for?
| Audience Segment | Profile |
|---|---|
| Fresh and frozen fish importers | |
| Shrimp and shellfish wholesalers | |
| Re-export and HORECA suppliers | |
| Traders sourcing fresh, chilled, and frozen fish from Vietnam, Uganda, Norway, Spain, India, and other major exporters for wholesale distribution to supermarkets, fish markets, and food processors across the UAE. | |
| Businesses importing farmed and wild-caught shrimp, lobster, crab, and shellfish for supply to retailers, restaurants, and seafood processing operations. Shrimp is the fastest-growing segment in the UAE seafood market. | |
| Wholesalers using the UAE's cold-chain infrastructure to import seafood in bulk and redistribute to Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, and East Africa. Seventy percent of imported seafood is re-exported to neighbouring markets. |
4630.06 - Wholesale Of Fishery Products
This activity covers the wholesale trade of fish, seafood, and fishery products. You are buying and selling fresh, chilled, frozen, and processed fishery products in wholesale quantities for distribution to retailers, food service operators, food manufacturers, and other traders.
The scope covers fresh and frozen fish (whole, filleted, and portioned), shrimp and prawns, lobster, crab, squid, octopus, mussels, oysters, and other shellfish and molluscs, as well as processed fishery products such as smoked fish, dried fish, salted fish, surimi, and canned seafood traded in wholesale volumes.
This activity covers wholesale trade of fishery products only. Therefore it excludes the catching or farming of fish because they are primary production activities.
Processing fish into canned, smoked, or dried products is manufacturing. Selling seafood directly to individual consumers through retail shops or fish markets is retail trade.
Apart from these exclusions, this activity excludes the blending of wine or distilled spirits which falls under a separate class.
If you are importing fish, shrimp, or seafood products and selling them at wholesale volumes to retailers, restaurants, or other traders, this is your activity. If you are catching fish, operating a processing plant, or selling fillets over a retail counter, it is not.
| Category | Scope |
|---|---|
| Fresh and chilled fish | Whole fish, fillets and portions Wholesale of fresh and chilled fish including kingfish, salmon, sea bass, and tilapia for supply to fish markets, retailers, and restaurants. Hamour remains culturally significant and commands premium pricing. UAE MARKET CONTEXT Over 67% of UAE seafood moves through the on-trade channel (restaurants, hotels, food service); Dubai accounts for 40% of national consumption. |
| Frozen fish and seafood | Frozen fish, shrimp and seafood Import and distribution of frozen whole fish, fillets, and seafood products for supermarkets, food processors, and institutional buyers. The UAE imported 46,000 tons of frozen fish in 2021. IMPORT LANDSCAPE Vietnam, Uganda, Norway, and Spain are among the UAE's top seafood exporters; 70% of imported seafood is redistributed to neighbouring markets. |
| Shrimp, shellfish and molluscs | Prawns, lobster, crab and squid Trading in farmed and wild-caught shrimp, lobster, crab, squid, and molluscs. Shrimp is the fastest-growing category in the UAE seafood market, driven by rising demand for sustainably farmed products. GROWTH SEGMENT Wild-caught shrimp from the Indian Ocean and Arabian Gulf is supplemented by farmed imports; Al Islami Foods launched an extra-large wild-caught shrimp range in January 2025. |
| Processed fishery products | Smoked, dried, salted and canned seafood Wholesale of smoked salmon, dried fish, salted cod, canned tuna, surimi, and other value-added seafood products for retailers, food manufacturers, and HORECA operators. VALUE-ADDED TREND Processed seafood is growing at 2.33% CAGR; pre-marinated fillets and ready-to-cook products are gaining shelf space as dual-income households seek convenience. |
Third-Party Approval
No third-party approval is required for this business activity.
Anti-Money Laundering Compliance
This business activity is exempt from AML compliance requirements.
References
- ¹ Mordor Intelligence — United Arab Emirates Seafood Market Size & Share Analysis (2025–2030) — https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/united-arab-emirates-seafood-market
- ² DigiRoads Research — UAE Seafood Market Report, Market Size, Industry Analysis (2025–2030) — https://digiroadsresearch.com/report/uae-seafood-market/
- ³ Research and Markets — United Arab Emirates Fisheries and Aquaculture Market (2025–2030) — https://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/5119160/united-arab-emirates-fisheries-and-aquaculture
