Pike Place Market, iconic fish-tossing vendor in legal fight over Pike Place name

Pike Place and the market’s iconic fish-tossing vendors are locked in a legal battle over the rights to the Pike Place trademark.

The Seattle seafood vendor famous for throwing its fish had filed a legal action that claimed complete ownership over the “Pike Place Fish” and “Pike Place Fish Market” names.

The Pike Place Market Preservation and Development Authority (PDA) countersued this week on the grounds that this action could lead to misuse of the trademark.

“We are saddened and hurt by the lawsuit filed against Pike Place Market by Pike Place Fish Market,” said PDA Marketing and Public Relations Manager Madison Bristol. ”The PDA has always worked with Market tenants to find ways to accommodate appropriate use of the trademarks in the past, so we are disappointed by the position PPFM has put us in by PPFM filing this lawsuit.”

In simple terms, the fish vendor claims that the market does not own and cannot control the use of names like “Pike Place Fish” and “Pike Place Fish Market.” They also assert that they have the right to use the name themselves, even if that means using it on products and locations not associated with the public market.

Pike Place Market is denying this claim on the grounds that market vendors agree not to use trademarks of any kind without prior written permission when they accept public vendor spaces.

“We are not opposed to our private vendors using the name as long as we have the ability to work with that vendor to ensure the public trademarks are not exploited and used in a manner that is inconsistent with the Market’s character and identity,” said Bristol. ”These are the things threatened by PPFM and their lawsuit. PIKE PLACE should be preserved for all the businesses and communities who put their heart into this place for generations and make it what it is today.”

Both parties have now agreed to mediation.