At the retail level, aquaculture products are sold alongside wild caught products. Farmed fish are considered to be inferior in quality by most consumers although they are usually unable to differentiate between farmed and wild caught fish of the same species. There are currently no regulations requiring the origin of fish to be identified by the retailers and whether they are farmed or captured fish.

The marketing system for fish is simple but efficient. The market is controlled by a limited number of large wholesalers who determine the market price mainly in response to supplies and demand. Farmers are free to sell their products either through wholesalers or directly to retailers. In all major cities there is usually an official wholesale vegetable and fruit market where producers can bring their product. Here fish are auctioned daily.

Farmers also have agreements with wholesalers who purchase their harvest directly from the farm site. Agreements are usually informal and in many cases the wholesaler finances the production operations and receives the harvested fish at a price agreed in advance.

Aquaculture products tend to be consumed in the domestic market as Egypt is not yet self sufficient in fish (about 135 520 tonnes are imported IN 2009 to ensure an annual per capita consumption of 15.89 kg).