James BensonCape Town is one of Africa’s most important fishing hubs. Its coastline stretches across rich marine ecosystems that support commercial fishing, aquaculture, seafood processing, marine exports, and value-chain industries. From long-established fishing giants to modern export-focused seafood suppliers, Cape Town hosts a wide array of companies that fuel South Africa’s fishing economy.
Below are the Top 20 Fishing Companies in Cape Town, each offering diverse products—from hake and snoek to tuna, sardines, lobster, and aquaculture species—along with their operations, strengths, and industry roles.
Top 20 Fishing Companies In Cape Town
1. Oceana Group
Oceana Group is the largest and best-known fishing company in South Africa, with extensive operations in Cape Town. They are behind famous brands like Lucky Star, supplying canned pilchards globally. The company is involved in catching, processing, and exporting fish like anchovies, pilchards, horse mackerel, and hake. Oceana also runs large cold-storage facilities, fishmeal plants, and advanced distribution logistics, making it a cornerstone of South Africa’s fishing sector. With international buyers across Africa, Europe, and the Americas, Oceana remains a leading employer in Cape Town’s coastal economy.
2. Sea Harvest Group
Sea Harvest is another giant in the Cape Town fishing industry. It is widely known for its premium Cape hake, which is exported to global markets and sold across major supermarkets in South Africa. Headquartered in the Western Cape, Sea Harvest’s operations include trawling, processing, cold storage, and distribution. The company maintains strict sustainability standards and is MSC certified. Its vertically integrated structure ensures freshness from catch to packaging, making it a preferred supplier for buyers seeking quality seafood.
3. I&J (Irvin & Johnson)
I&J is one of Cape Town’s oldest fishing companies with a history going back over a century. The brand is iconic for its frozen seafood range, including hake fillets, crumbed fish, and prawns, which are sold in major retail stores. The company operates a modern fleet of trawlers and processing plants. I&J places great emphasis on sustainability, quality control, and export compliance standards, supplying markets in Europe, Australia, and Asia. It remains one of the largest employers in South Africa’s maritime sector.
4. Cape Fish
Cape Fish is a growing player in premium seafood processing and distribution. Located in Paarden Eiland, the company specialises in fresh and frozen tuna, swordfish, and line-caught species. Cape Fish works closely with local fishermen and focuses heavily on export-grade handling practices. Its products are highly sought after by Cape Town restaurants, European buyers, and the U.S. seafood market. With modern processing facilities and strict cold-chain management, Cape Fish has built a strong reputation for quality.
5. Viking Fishing Group
Viking Fishing is one of the most diversified fishing companies in Cape Town. The group engages in deep-sea trawling, small-pelagic fishing, longlining, and aquaculture. Their portfolio includes hake, monkfish, tuna, pilchards, and rock lobster. Viking Fishing also operates fishmeal plants, cold-storage warehousing, and value-added processing facilities. Their community development efforts and training programs have made the brand respected in South Africa’s maritime circles.
6. Lusitania Fisheries
Lusitania is a major supplier and exporter of seafood products in Cape Town, especially known for tuna, squid, and longline-caught species. The company operates its own fleet of vessels and modern processing plants. With a strong footprint in the European and U.S. markets, Lusitania provides high-grade seafood to restaurants, wholesalers, and global buyers. Their decades of experience in longline fishing has helped solidify their role in the Western Cape’s fishing industry.
7. Premier Fishing & Brands
Premier Fishing is a JSE-listed fishing group operating out of Cape Town and other South African coastal regions. Their product range includes squid, abalone, lobster, and hake. In recent years, the company has heavily invested in aquaculture expansion, particularly abalone farming, which is in high demand in Asian markets. Premier Fishing’s modern processing facilities and export relationships make it a key contributor to Cape Town’s blue economy.
8. Abagold
While Abagold is based primarily in Hermanus, it plays a major role in the greater Cape Town seafood export ecosystem due to its partnerships, distribution channels, and processing networks. Abagold specialises in abalone farming, producing premium grades for Asian markets. Its operations focus on sustainable aquaculture, innovative feed systems, and environmentally conscious production models.
9. Blue Ocean Mussels
Blue Ocean Mussels is one of South Africa’s largest mussel farming operations, located near Saldanha Bay but heavily integrated with Cape Town’s seafood distribution chain. They supply fresh and frozen mussels to local retailers, restaurants, and international buyers. Their eco-friendly farming practices and consistent product quality have made them leaders in the aquaculture segment.
10. Cape Town Tuna Co.
This specialised company focuses on pole-and-line caught tuna, one of the most sustainable fishing methods. Cape Town Tuna Co. exports sashimi-grade yellowfin and albacore to Japan, the U.S., and Europe. Their dedication to traceability, freshness, and artisanal fishing supports small-scale fishermen and reduces environmental impacts. The brand is popular among sushi restaurants across Cape Town.
11. Fish4Africa
Fish4Africa is a well-known name in Cape Town’s fresh seafood retail and wholesale sector. With outlets around the city and a large distribution network, the company supplies hake, kingklip, snoek, tuna, prawns, and shellfish. The business works closely with both local fishermen and commercial fleets, ensuring that customers have access to a wide range of affordable, quality seafood.
12. Southern Atlantic Fisheries
Southern Atlantic Fisheries operates deep-sea trawlers focused on hake and other demersal species. The company specialises in both wholesale and export processing. Their fleet uses modern on-board handling techniques to preserve quality, making their hake products competitive in the EU and American markets. Their commitment to regulatory compliance and sustainable harvesting strengthens their industry presence.
13. Greenfish
Greenfish is a boutique seafood supplier known for its sustainably caught, traceable, and eco-friendly seafood lines. The company partners with small-scale Cape Town fishermen to provide sashimi-grade tuna, kelp products, Cape bream, and rock lobster. Greenfish also offers home delivery services, making premium seafood accessible to consumers across Cape Town. Their focus on transparency has earned them a loyal customer base.
14. Marine Products (Pty) Ltd
Marine Products is a long-established seafood importer, processor, and distributor operating in Cape Town. They supply a comprehensive range of frozen seafood including prawns, calamari, crab sticks, hake blocks, and fish fillets. The company works with local and international vessels and imports products to complement South Africa’s seasonal availability. Their consistency and distribution network make them a key supplier for restaurants and retailers.
15. Cape Lobster Exporters
Cape Lobster Exporters specializes in premium West Coast Rock Lobster, one of the Western Cape’s most valuable marine resources. Their operations focus on handling, transporting, and exporting live and frozen lobster to Asian and European markets. With strict quality control procedures and sustainability commitments, the company has built a reputation for supplying reliable, high-quality lobster products.
16. SAPEX Exports
SAPEX is one of Cape Town’s most prominent export companies dealing in seafood, fruits, and other agricultural products. Their seafood division handles hake, tuna, squid, and shellfish sourced from Western Cape suppliers. SAPEX’s global logistics network and multi-market export capabilities make them an important link between Cape Town’s fishing companies and international buyers.
17. Coastal Fisheries
Coastal Fisheries is an important mid-sized fishing and processing company that provides a range of locally caught fish including snoek, kabeljou, yellowtail, and hake. They supply supermarkets, wholesalers, restaurants, and regional exporters. Known for competitive pricing and consistency, Coastal Fisheries supports both industrial and artisanal fishermen in the Western Cape.
18. Cape Mariculture
Cape Mariculture is best known for its Abalone aquaculture brand “Aqunion.” The company farms, processes, and exports abalone to Asian markets. While its farms are outside Cape Town, its processing and export channels run through the city’s port and logistics infrastructure. Aqunion is South Africa’s largest abalone producer and a leader in sustainable aquaculture.
19. Chapman’s Seafood Company
Located near Hout Bay, Chapman’s is a reputable seafood supplier offering fresh and frozen fish, shellfish, prawns, and calamari. The company works with a fleet of local fishing vessels and artisanal fishermen, creating a steady supply chain. Their products are found in Cape Town restaurants, retail stores, hotels, and catering companies.
20. Fish SA (Seafood Industry Association of South Africa)
While not a fishing company in the traditional sense, Fish SA represents and supports Cape Town’s commercial fishing sector. It works closely with industry stakeholders to promote sustainability, regulate catch methods, protect local fishermen, and ensure compliance with South African and international standards. Fish SA’s activities help strengthen the industry and support the growth of many Cape Town fishing companies.
Conclusion
Cape Town’s fishing sector is one of the most diverse and dynamic in Africa. From long-established giants like Oceana and I&J to specialised exporters and innovative aquaculture farms, the city continues to dominate South Africa’s seafood industry. Whether you’re a buyer, investor, importer, or researcher, these Top 20 Fishing Companies in Cape Town offer a strong overview of the region’s capabilities and market potential..