Since our 1991 start, Browne Trading has been recognized for its top quality, pristine seafood. We attribute this success to the close relationship with our fishermen and fish auctions.

Starting on the Boat

We hand select only the freshest, wild fish landed daily by our local Maine fishing fleet and auctioned by lot at the nearby Portland Fish Exchange. We place a large emphasis on dayboat fish caught using low-impact fishing methods with minimal impact on non-targeted species. Our local fleet abides by a SECTOR-BASED FISHERIES MANAGEMENT, a sustainable catch program designed to ensure the long-term viability of seafood in the Gulf of Maine.

Browne Trading has been buying seafood on the waterfront of Maine for over three decades. We have been working with some of the same boats, scallopers, and lobstermen for years. We also source the best Gloucester, Massachusetts and Atlantic Canadian catches available to supplement our inventory in the off season.

We apply the same standards for fish landed outside of our New England fishing grounds. Browne Trading primarily buys fish that have been line-caught, not trapped in nets.

Even our overseas buyers purchase dayboat fish under our conditional agreement. A majority of our wild-caught European fish is bought dockside in Portugal and France by committed agents who have been doing business with Browne for years.

These wild fish are fresh, never frozen, and shipped overnight to us in Maine within 24 hours of being caught. These fish are local to the European North Atlantic and the Mediterranean. We place a high premium on the catch’s traceability with all sources, from the fishing ground, catch method, vessel, where it is landed, and how and when it is transported to our facility.