{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-regulation-1996-2406/annex-I/division-6",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-regulation-1996-2406/annex-I/division-6.json",
  "legislation": "eur/1996/2406",
  "legislation_title": "Council Regulation(EC) No 2406/96 of 26 November 1996 laying down common marketing standards for certain fishery products",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/eu-regulation-1996-2406",
  "path": "annex/I/division/6",
  "kind": "division",
  "number": "A",
  "heading": "WHITEFISH",
  "text": ". . .\nOr in a more advanced state of decay.\nFresh fish prior to the onset of rigor mortis will not be firm and elastic but will still be graded in category Extra.\nCriteria\nFreshness category\nNot admitted\nExtra\nA\nB\nSkin\nBright, iridescent pigment (save for redfish) or opalescent; no discolouration\nPigmentation bright but not lustrous\nPigmentation in the process of becoming discoloured and dull\nDull pigmentation\nSkin mucus\nAqueous, transparent\nSlightly cloudy\nMilky\nYellowish grey, opaque mucus\nEye\nConvex (bulging); black, bright pupil; transparent cornea\nConvex and slightly sunken; black dull pupil; slightly opalescent cornea\nFlat; opalescent cornea; opaque pupil\nConcave in the centre; grey pupil; milky cornea\nGills\nBright colour; no mucus\nLess coloured; transparent mucus\nBrown/grey becoming discoloured; thick, opaque mucus\nYellowish; milky mucus\nPeritoneum (in gutted fish)\nSmooth; bright; difficult to detach from flesh\nSlightly dull; can be detached from flesh\nSpeckled; comes away easily from flesh\nDoes not stick\nSmell of gills and abdominal cavity\n— whitefish other than plaice\nSeaweedy\nNo smell of seaweed; neutral smell\nFermented; slightly sour\nSour\n— plaice\nFresh oily; peppery; earthy smell\nOily; seaweedy or slightly sweetish\nOily; fermented; stale, slightly rancid\nSour\nFlesh\nFirm and elastic; smooth surface\nLess elastic\nSlightly soft (flaccid), less elastic; waxy (velvety) and dull surface\nSoft (flaccid); scales easily detached from skin, surface rather wrinkled\nExtra criteria for headed anglerfish\nBlood vessles (vental muscles)\nSharp outline and bright red\nSharp outline; darkening of the blood\nDiffuse and brown\nTotally diffuse, brown and yellowing of the flesh",
  "extent": "E+W+S+N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Words in Annex 1 omitted (31.12.2020) by virtue of The Common Fisheries Policy (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/739), regs. 1, 20(9)(a); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)"
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f1",
      "text": "Or in a more advanced state of decay."
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f2",
      "text": "Fresh fish prior to the onset of rigor mortis will not be firm and elastic but will still be graded in category Extra."
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/eur/1996/2406/annex/I/division/6",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-11-01T14:58:58.326793+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}