Confraria de pescadors de Blanes

What Confraria de pescadors de Blanes does

The Confraria de Pescadors de Blanes is a traditional fishermen's guild and cooperative founded in 1916, headquartered at the Port of Blanes, Girona, Spain (Esplanada del Port, s/n, 17300). It represents the interests of approximately 40 member fishing vessels operating across five modalities (14 bottom trawlers, 11 artisanal boats, 6 purse seiners, 7 sonseres, and 1 surface longliner) and supports around 152-160 direct fishing jobs. The organization is the legally designated port guild with administrative authority over licensing and quota representation, operating under the umbrella of the Federació de Confraries de Pescadors de Girona and Ports de la Generalitat de Catalunya.

The Confraria's core operation is the daily Dutch-style fish auction (subhasta a la baixa), conducted twice per weekday — mornings for blue fish and pelagic species, afternoons for white fish and shellfish. The auction is mechanized with electronic sales screens and remote-control buying devices, supported by the SISAPTEC B2B online platform for remote bidding and a private intranet portal for member fishermen. All 40 vessels are tracked via the Caixa Blava satellite GPS system. Fish is sold exclusively to licensed professionals (fishmongers, restaurants, wholesalers), with the Confraria retaining a commission on each transaction. In 2023, the auction processed 1,644,832 kg of fish generating €8,354,818 in sales value, ranking the port 4th in Catalonia and 1st in Girona province by volume.

The business model layers four additional revenue streams on top of auction commissions: paid educational visits and cooking workshops for schools and hospitality institutions (from ~€5/person), venue rental of the auction hall and gastronomic/educational classrooms, fishery administration fees levied on member vessels, and the Distintiu Peix Fresc (Fresh Fish Badge) certification programme that monetizes brand recognition across affiliated retailers in Barcelona, Girona, and Lleida. The Confraria has invested in sustainability positioning through partnerships with ICM-CSIC for marine research, Life Ecorest coral restoration, Pesca Neta marine debris removal with all 40 vessels, and ECOALF Foundation upcycling. It is governed by a Cabildo presided over by Patr\u00f3 Major Ferran Mart\u00ednez, with current operating pressure from EU Mediterranean fishing regulation proposals that would cut trawl days by 79% in 2025.

Name

Confraria de pescadors de Blanes

Legal name

CONFRARIA PESCADORS BLANES

Website

https://cofblanes.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1916

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Confraria de Pescadors de Blanes is a fishermen's guild founded in 1916 that operates a daily Dutch-style fish auction for ~40 member vessels at the Port of Blanes, Spain, ranking 4th in Catalonia by volume with €8.35M in 2023 auction sales. It serves licensed fishmongers, restaurants, and wholesalers, supplemented by educational visits, certification programmes, and sustainability partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Blanes

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Fish auction commissions: The Confraria operates the daily Dutch auction (subhasta a la baixa), charging commissions on fish sales. Fishers are paid based on auction proceeds; the Confraria retains a share. Fish is sold only to licensed professionals (fishmongers, restaurants, wholesalers).
2. Educational and workshop activities: The Confraria charges for guided tours of the fish auction, participatory workshops (fish preparation, escabetx, preserving), and culinary competitions for hospitality schools. Prices start from approximately €5 per participant.
3. Venue rental: The Confraria rents out its gastronomic classroom, educational classroom, and the fish auction hall for private events, workshops, and culinary demonstrations.
4. Fishery administration fees: The Confraria levies fees on fishing vessels for port services, licensing administration, and representation services to its approximately 40 member boats.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Confraria de pescadors de Blanes operates a Dutch-style fish auction (subhasta a la baixa) twice daily Monday through Friday at the Port of Blanes, selling fresh catch from its fleet of ~40 vessels to licensed professionals including fishmongers, restaurants, and wholesalers. It also runs paid educational visits, cooking workshops, venue rentals, the Distintiu Peix Fresc certification badge program, and several marine sustainability initiatives (Pesca Neta, Life Ecorest). The organization represents the economic and social interests of member fishermen, levying administration fees and coordinating fleet operations.

Product overview

Confraria de pescadors de Blanes operates as a fishermen's guild managing a traditional fish auction market with a Dutch-style auction system, complemented by educational, gastronomic, and sustainability services. The core product is the Subhasta del Peix (Fish Auction) conducting two daily auctions for fresh fish sales to professionals. Supporting services include guided visits and cooking workshops for schools and groups, gastronomic space rentals, a fresh fish certification badge for retailers, marine conservation projects (Life Ecorest and Pesca Neta), an annual maritime fair (BlanesMar), a fish species catalog, and professional training programs for the fishing and hospitality sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Subhasta del Peix (Fish Auction) Daily Dutch-style (subhasta a la baixa) auction system for selling fresh fish from the Blanes fishing fleet. The auction runs twice daily Monday to Friday: a morning auction for blue fish and pelagic species from encircling and longline vessels, and an afternoon auction for white fish and shellfish from trawlers and artisanal fishing boats. Licensed professionals (fishmongers, restaurants, wholesalers) can purchase in person or online through SISAPTEC.
• Visites Guiades i Tallers Participatius (Guided Visits and Participatory Workshops) Educational guided tours of the fish auction and participatory workshops for schools, groups, and adults covering fishing techniques, marine sustainability, fish species identification, and cooking demonstrations. Programs are adapted for different age groups from primary school to adults, including sessions on marine biology, sustainable fishing practices, and gastronomic tastings. Prices start from approximately €5 per participant.
• Gastronomia i Tallers de Cuina (Gastronomy and Cooking Workshops) Culinary workshops and tastings featuring fresh fish from the Blanes auction, highlighting seasonal species and responsible fishing practices. Activities include maritime cooking workshops, tasting sessions, gastronomic days, and culinary demonstrations.
• Lloguer d'Espais (Space Rental) Rental of facilities including a gastronomic classroom fully equipped for culinary demonstrations and workshops, an educational classroom for training activities, and the auction hall itself. Spaces offer views of the Blanes seafront for events, meetings, and special occasions.
• Distintiu Peix Fresc (Fresh Fish Badge/Certification) Certification badge program for establishments offering fresh fish from the Blanes auction. Establishments are rated with 1-5 stars based on the percentage of fresh fish from Blanes they sell (5 stars = 100%, 4 = 80%, 3 = 60%, 2 = 40%, 1 = 20%), enabling consumers to identify retailers and restaurants committed to local sustainable fish.
• Formació Professional per al Sector de la Pesca (Professional Training for Fishing Sector) Vocational training programs for the fishing industry including courses for Coastal Captain (Patró Costaner Polivalente) and Fisherman Sailor (Mariner Pescador), along with workshops for hospitality schools on fish market operations, technical fish handling, and culinary competitions using fresh fish from the auction.
• BlanesMar (Maritime Activities Fair) Annual maritime fair held at Blanes Port featuring three days of activities including guided vessel tours, maritime rescue simulations, gastronomic tastings, traditional fish auctions, sailing experiences, turtle releases, circus performances, and community events celebrating maritime heritage. Activities are individually priced (e.g., pedalada solidària €35, tuna tasting €8, fideuà €6).

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,644,832 kg of fish landed in 2023, generating €8,354,818 in auction revenue, ranking 4th in Catalonia
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Pesca Neta (pescaneta.com)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Confraria actively participates in the Pesca Neta project, a marine conservation initiative that engages all 40 fishing vessels in removing and recycling marine debris — primarily plastics — from the Mediterranean Sea. Participating trawlers dedicate up to 2 hours daily to ocean cleaning, demonstrating the fishing community's environmental commitment.
• Life Ecorest (LIFE19 CCA/ES/001134)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Confraria is a key partner in the Life Ecorest project, dedicated to restoring 30,000 hectares of deep-sea marine habitats along the Girona and Barcelona coastline. Fishermen rescue accidentally caught corals, gorgonians, and sponges, recovering them in aquaria at the Confraria before returning them to the sea to reforest voluntarily closed fishing zones.
• ICM-CSIC (Institut de Ciències del Mar, Barcelona)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Institut de Ciències del Mar, part of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), is the largest marine research centre in Spain. It collaborates with the Confraria on fish stock studies, the Blanes Canyon ecosystem, coral restoration research, and marine habitat management. The Confraria participates in its cogestion plans for species like sonso (mullet). ICM has received the Severo Ochoa scientific excellence award.
• CRAM (Centre de Recuperació d'Animals Marins)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Marine Animal Recovery Centre (CRAM) collaborates with the Confraria on the 'Talla per elles' project to reduce the impact of longline fishing on sea turtles and promote sustainable fishing. Fishermen participate in turtle rescue and release activities.
• Ports de la Generalitat de CatalunyacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Catalan regional government body Ports de la Generalitat de Catalunya holds title to the port of Blanes and manages all port operations including fishing activity, nautical services, and tourist vessels. The port was substantially rebuilt and expanded (by 12,000 m²) between 2008 and 2011.
• Ajuntament de Blanes (Blanes Town Council)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Blanes town council co-funds educational visits for schoolchildren (184 pupils subsidized in 2025), supports the annual BlanesMar festival, and participates in joint promotion of sustainable fishing and local fish consumption.
• ICATMAR (Integrated Centre for Agricultural and Marine Research)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerICATMAR is part of the scientific committee for the sonso (mullet) co-management plan alongside CSIC, WWF, and the Confraria. It provides research data that informs fishing quotas and seasonal closures.
• WWFminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWWF participates in the sonso (mullet) co-management committee alongside scientists, the administration, and fishermen, contributing to sustainable fishing quota decisions.
• ECOALF FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Confraria participates in the ECOALF Upcycling the Oceans project, which recycles marine plastics collected during fishing operations into new materials.
• Federació de Confraries de Pescadors de GironacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Confraria is affiliated with the Girona Federation of Fishermen's Guilds, which ranks it as the #1 port in the province by kilograms landed and #2 by revenue collection. The federation also coordinates collective actions such as the December 2024 strike protests against EU fishing restrictions.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Pescanova: Spain's largest seafood company, vertically integrated across aquaculture, fleet, processing, and distribution. A broader incumbent whose scale, brand, and retail penetration contrast with the localized artisanal focus of the Blanes guild.
• Mercabarna: Barcelona's central wholesale food market, including the major fish wholesale unit (Peixateria Central). Sets wholesale fish pricing for the broader Catalan market in which Blanes competes and through which much of its catch is redistributed.
• Federació de Confraries de Pescadors de Girona: The federation that ranks Blanes #1 by volume and #2 by revenue across Girona. Represents collective interests in EU regulatory negotiations and labor actions, providing strategic coordination that complements the guild's port-level operations.

Others

• Marine Stewardship Council (MSC): Global seafood sustainability certification body. Not a competitor, but the adjacent ecosystem participant whose eco-certification standards increasingly shape buyer requirements that the guild's own Distintiu Peix Fresc and ICM partnerships help satisfy.

Direct peers

• Confraria de Pescadors de Roses: Girona-coast fishing guild operating the port of Roses with a comparable artisanal and trawl fleet. Overlaps directly with Blanes along the same Girona federation, sharing regulatory environment, customer base, and federation-level coordination.
• Lonja de A Coruña: One of Spain's largest fish auction houses, operating daily Dutch-style auctions on the Atlantic coast. A national benchmark for auction-based fresh fish wholesale, with comparable digital bidding infrastructure and B2B distribution.
• Confraria de Pescadors de Tarragona: Major Catalan fishing port with a guild-based auction structure. Comparable operating model across vessel mix and Dutch-style fish auction, competing for the same regional wholesale and restaurant customers in southern Catalonia.
• Confraria de Pescadors de l'Escala: Empordà-region fishermen's guild operating a traditional Catalan auction. Comparable in fleet mix and customer base, with overlapping fishing grounds along the Costa Brava.
• Confraria de Pescadors de Palamós: Catalan fishermen's guild also active in the Costa Brava, operating the Palamós fishing port and auction. Closest direct peer due to shared cooperative model, Catalan geography, mixed-fleet operations, and auction-based wholesale distribution.
• Cofradía de Pescadores de Barcelona: Barcelona's fishermen's guild running its own daily auction supplying the metropolitan wholesale market. Direct competitor and benchmark for Catalan port auction throughput, while sharing the EU Mediterranean regulatory exposure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/confraria-de-pescadors-de-blanes

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Confraria de pescadors de Blanes