Vendor Information

*This page is designed as a Go to for Vendors interested in selling at the VCCFA Weekly Fishermen's Dockside Market

The information here is intended to serve as a 1 stop hub for all the information needed to get your booth up and running.  This page is published publically, but sensitive documents are held on a google drive.  Permission to view these documents has been given to approved Vendors and Committee Members.  If you would like to request access, email venturacountyfishermen@gmail.com Your request will be reviewed and if approved access granted.  For any questions: email or contact Dave Colker at (805) 663-2152

Support Documents

Example Bylaws

VCCFA Fishermen's Dockside Market Committee and Vendors are using these templates to help shape our own ByLaws.  We have gone over these bylaws in meetings, and will use this information to build a proposed set of Bylaws for Vendor and Committee approval.  The proposed VCCFA FDM Bylaws are anticipated to be reviewed and modified in the Upcoming August 30, 2026 meeting.  Vendors and Committee Members will receive a formal invite and agenda to the meeting.  

Permits

County Department of Health 

The important part: vendors do NOT each need a County health permit

California law is unusually explicit about this.

Health & Safety Code §114378.3 says that an entity representing two or more California-licensed commercial fishermen can be the “responsible person and sole permitholder” for the Fishermen’s Market. This is where your VCCFA Membership (VOTING MEMBER) status comes into play.  Reminder: VCCFA Dues need to be current (Jan.1st - Dec31st of given current year) to participate as a Vendor. 

Ventura County's own Fishermen's Market guidance makes it even clearer: each commercial fisherman and registered aquaculturist operates under the single Fishermen's Market health permit. Individual fishermen do not need separate Environmental Health permits merely to operate their booths within that permitted market.

The fishermen still have to meet their individual licensing requirements. California law limits vendors to California-licensed commercial fishermen or California-registered aquaculturists, and the permit application must include the participating vendors' names and copies of their licenses/registrations.

That matches the Sea Grant document you uploaded above: it says booth operators must be California-licensed commercial fishermen or registered aquaculturists selling their own catch/crop, or qualifying catch from one or two other licensed producers.

What VCCFA has to submit

This isn't just a check-and-one-page-form permit. California H&S Code §114378.3 requires the permit application AND site plan at least two weeks before operation.

The application package needs to identify the participating fishermen and include their licenses/registrations and authorization for VCCFA/the organizer to act as the responsible permit holder. It also needs the seafood being sold, booth construction/material information, food handling and temperature-control procedures, refuse/cleaning/sanitation procedures, transportation procedures, and a site plan.

The site plan needs to show the market boundaries, individual booths, restrooms, refuse containers, potable-water locations, wastewater disposal, and shared handwashing/warewashing facilities where applicable.

That's essentially the exact checklist in the Sea Grant Organizing a Fishermen's Market document uploaded.

One big exception: filleting/cutting [VCCFA FDM is forgoing the fillet station to start the Market - We will develop the fillet station after the Market is developed.  This is a decision made so we can open sooner than later]

This distinction is important for the market rules we are developing.

The basic Fishermen's Market permit allows the sale of raw fish, including whole or eviscerated fish. But if you want a service that fillets, cuts or packages fish for customers, California law requires that operation to have a separate health permit appropriate to that operation.

So a fisherman isn't automatically allowed to set up a cutting board and start filleting customers' fish just because his booth is covered by VCCFA's $700 permit.

Bottom line for the Vendor Information page: VCCFA obtains the single Fisherman's Market health permit (PE 1746, $700). Participating fishermen do not obtain separate County Environmental Health permits for their individual market booths, but they must have the required commercial fishing/aquaculture and direct-sale licensing and comply with the market's health requirements. A separate permit is required for filleting/cutting/packaging services.

If you'd like, the next thing I can do is turn the California law + Ventura County requirements into a one-page “Vendor Permit & License Checklist” for your website showing exactly what VCCFA provides vs. what each fisherman must provide before being approved as a vendor.

Responsibility Checklist