ICES
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1902
- HeadquartersCopenhagen, Denmark
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
ICES firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ICES
- Legal name
- International Council for the Exploration of the Sea
- Website
- https://ices.dk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1902
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ICES industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Marine Science and Fisheries Advisory Services
- NAICS
- Fishing (1141), Administration of Environmental Quality Programs (924), Other Marine Fishing (114119)
- SIC
- Fishing, Hunting And Trapping (900), Services-Computer Programming, Data Processing, Etc. (7370)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Aquatic Ecology & Fisheries Assessments (EUAHAHAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Coastal & Marine Resources Administration (Oceans, Fisheries, Shorelines) (BPAIAMAI)
Keywords
Where ICES is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Copenhagen
- HQ country
- Denmark
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
ICES business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Membership Contributions: ICES is a membership organization with member countries that contribute to the organization's funding and governance. The organization provides advice to member countries and stakeholders on marine ecosystems and fisheries management.
- Project Collaboration Funding: ICES participates in EU-funded research projects (Horizon Europe, EMFAF, EMFF) contributing expertise and receiving project funding for specific scientific tasks.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
ICES product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ICES generates independent, peer-reviewed scientific advice on the sustainable use and protection of the North-East Atlantic Ocean and adjacent seas. It curates long-term marine datasets and operates open data platforms and assessment tools (dataXplorer, adviceXplorer, fisheriesXplorer, SmartDots, DATRAS) that support fisheries stock assessments, integrated ecosystem assessments, and ecosystem and fisheries overviews delivered to member-country governments and regional management bodies.
Product overview
ICES operates as a science network providing a comprehensive marine data and advisory platform. The core offerings include dataXplorer for accessing marine biological, environmental, oceanographic, and underwater noise data; adviceXplorer and fisheriesXplorer for exploring fisheries and ecosystem advice; SmartDots for quality assurance of biological parameters in stock assessments; and DATRAS for trawl survey data management. Additional products include the Stock Information Database, themed data portals (biodiversity, fisheries, marine environment), assessment tools, ecosystem and fisheries overviews, the ICES Library publication repository, vocabulary services, mapping tools, and the data calls submission portal. The ecosystem integrates these tools to support science-based advice for sustainable marine management.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- dataXplorer
Quantifiable outcome
- ICES provides advice on fishing opportunities for commercial fish stocks across European waters
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use ICES
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
ICES technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
AI capability5 records
Feature5 records
ICES partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- OCCAM (NOFIMA)coreOCCAM implements, tests, and evaluates innovative solutions for climate change adaptation and mitigation in aquaculture. ICES builds on case studies to shape advice on aquaculture and climate impacts. Duration: 2025-2029. Funded by EU Horizon Europe.
- Smart4SAM (DTU - Denmark's Technical University)coreSmart4SAM develops an end-to-end management framework for quality assurance of age and maturity data integration into stock assessments using SmartDots platform. Duration: 2025-2028. Funded by EMFAF.
- MeCCAM (Sjókovin, Faroes)coreMeCCAM develops climate mitigation and adaptation solutions for European fisheries. ICES leads stakeholder outreach and training, and develops prototypes for climate-informed fisheries advice. Duration: 2025-2029. Funded by EU Horizon Europe.
- IMBUS (Technical University of Denmark - DTU)coreIMBUS develops standardized tools for better use of ICES bottom trawl survey data. ICES leads Work Package 5, building on DATRAS database custodianship to strengthen data quality assurance. Duration: 2025-2027. Funded by EMFAF.
- MarineGuardian (Matís)coreMarineGuardian provides impact-driven solutions to reduce fisheries' environmental impacts. ICES provides expertise on maximizing impact, knowledge transfer, and policy integration. Duration: 2025-2029. Funded by EU Horizon Europe.
- Mission Atlantic (DTU - Denmark's Technical University)coreMission Atlantic aims to map and assess current and future risks from climate change and human activities in Atlantic ecosystems. ICES addresses IEA data availability, improves professional skills, and consults stakeholders. Funded by EU Horizon 2020 (€11.5M). Duration: 2020-2025.
- EMODnet Biology (Flanders Marine Institute VLIZ)coreICES collaborates with EMODnet Biology to further development of an operational service where marine biological data is made freely available. ICES is a major provider of biological observations and contributes to data standards and harmonization.
- EMODnet Chemistry (Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e di Geofisica Sperimentale OGS)coreICES leads the work package on user feedback, especially linking MSFD into data product development. ICES contributes to data standards and harmonization for marine chemical data.
- EMODnet Data Ingestion (The Hellenic Centre for Marine Research HCMR)coreICES serves as a point of contact for biological and environmental data in the EMODnet Data Ingestion project that facilitates marine data submission and dissemination.
- EMODnet Physics (ETT S.p.A.)coreICES Data Centre provides expertise in underwater noise data developments and helps provide web services to the EMODnet Physics portal.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
ICES competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- NOAA Fisheries (National Marine Fisheries Service): U.S. federal agency providing fisheries science, stock assessments, and marine resource management advice — directly comparable to ICES in mandate (science-based fisheries advice) and product offerings (data portals, stock assessments), but U.S.-focused.
- FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department: UN agency division providing global fisheries and aquaculture science, policy advice, and data — overlapping with ICES' fisheries science and advisory mandate, but at a global rather than regional (North Atlantic/European) scale.
- European Environment Agency (EEA): EU agency providing environmental data and assessments across Europe — overlaps with ICES on marine environmental data, ecosystem overviews, and indicators, but at a broader environmental (not fisheries-focused) remit.
Direct peers
- HELCOM (Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission): Regional intergovernmental body for Baltic Sea environmental protection — comparable in mandate and intergovernmental structure to ICES for the Baltic Sea subregion, and an active user/partner of ICES data and advice.
- NAFO (Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization): Regional fisheries management organization providing scientific advice on Northwest Atlantic stocks — closely comparable to ICES' fisheries advisory role, with overlapping scientific working groups (e.g., Joint NAFO/ICES Pandalus Assessment).
- OSPAR Commission: Intergovernmental cooperation on marine environmental protection in the North-East Atlantic — overlaps with ICES on ecosystem assessments and marine data, particularly for the OSPAR maritime area that ICES also serves.
- IOC-UNESCO (Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission): UN intergovernmental body coordinating ocean science, observations, and data — closely comparable to ICES in intergovernmental structure and marine data mandate, but with a global rather than European focus.
- PICES (North Pacific Marine Science Organization): Intergovernmental organization coordinating marine science across North Pacific rim countries — directly comparable to ICES in structure (member-country funded, expert groups, scientific advice), but serving a different ocean basin.
Regional players
- ICCAT (International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas): Intergovernmental body providing science-based advice on Atlantic tuna and tuna-like species — comparable advisory mandate to ICES but focused on a specific species group and broader Atlantic geography.
- GFCM (General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean): Regional fisheries management body under FAO for the Mediterranean and Black Sea — comparable to ICES in providing fisheries science and advice to member countries, but serving a different regional ecosystem.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
ICES social profiles
Digital presenceICES compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
ICES financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ICES leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
ICES funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ICES M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about ICES
What does ICES do?
ICES generates independent, peer-reviewed scientific advice on the sustainable use and protection of the North-East Atlantic Ocean and adjacent seas. It curates long-term marine datasets and operates open data platforms and assessment tools (dataXplorer, adviceXplorer, fisheriesXplorer, SmartDots, DATRAS) that support fisheries stock assessments, integrated ecosystem assessments, and ecosystem and fisheries overviews delivered to member-country governments and regional management bodies.
Is ICES a public or private company?
ICES is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was ICES founded?
ICES was founded in 1902. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is ICES based?
ICES is headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, in the Europe region.
How does ICES make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Membership Contributions are the primary driver. The others are project Collaboration Funding.
Who are ICES's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are NOAA Fisheries (National Marine Fisheries Service), FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Department and European Environment Agency (EEA). Direct peers are HELCOM (Baltic Marine Environment Protection Commission), NAFO (Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization), OSPAR Commission, IOC-UNESCO (Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission) and PICES (North Pacific Marine Science Organization). Regional players are ICCAT (International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas) and GFCM (General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean).
Does ICES have an API?
Yes. ICES provides vocabulary web services through its Geonetwork metadata catalog, available for programmatic access to ICES vocabularies and codes. The ICES vocabulary server at vocab.ices.dk provides web services for code lookup. Additionally, DATRAS provides web services for accessing trawl survey data programmatically. Developer documentation is at gis.ices.dk/geonetwork/srv/eng/catalog.search#/metadata/FE02B766-B83C-4A14-AE2B-E7545CFFFA12.
What industry is ICES in?
ICES's product category is Marine Science and Fisheries Advisory Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAHAHAB, Aquatic Ecology & Fisheries Assessments, with a secondary code of BPAIAMAI, Coastal & Marine Resources Administration (Oceans, Fisheries, Shorelines). Its NAICS code is 1141 and its SIC code is 900.