Scheveningen and fish are inextricably connected. Up until the Second World War, the fish catch was the main source of income. The harbours were opened in 1904 and the fish auction in 1949.

After 50 years as a local authority enterprise, the Scheveningen fish auction became independent in 1999. On 1 January 2000, it merged with Stellendam and Colijnsplaat to form United Fish Auctions. During 2004, 11,365 tons of fish were sold at a value of approx. 13.5 million euros.

The borough harbour is accessible 24 hours a day, regardless of the tide, and can accommodate at least 50 cutters. The group of people who unload, sort and weigh the catches have been employed by the Visfactorij Scheveningen for years.

The fish market is open every day of the week and is one of the few Dutch auctions with a daily supply. Because of this, and also its favourable location in relation to the surrounding area, Scheveningen is of interest for many traders, both large and small. This offers suppliers the advantage of obtaining the maximum income as the smaller batches (the so-called subsidiary catch) also sell for maximum value. In this way Scheveningen has been able to attract many foreign suppliers for years.