France Pélagique

What France Pélagique does

France Pélagique is a French family-owned pelagic fishing company, founded in 1988 and headquartered in Paris, that operates as a subsidiary of the Dutch Cornelis Vrolijk group — one of Europe's largest seafood trading networks. The firm targets mackerel, herring, horse mackerel, blue whiting, and sardine using two modern freezer trawlers: the 88-meter Prins Bernhard (refit in 2007–2008) and the 81-meter Scombrus, delivered in 2020 as the most significant capacity addition in the company's history. France Pélagique describes itself as the French market leader in pelagic fishing, holds MSC certification for herring since 2006, and obtained the French "Ecolabel Pêche Durable" certification in January 2024.

The company's product is frozen-at-sea pelagic species sold in bulk to international seafood distributors, with end-markets spanning West Africa (notably Ivory Coast), Asia, and Eastern Europe, reached primarily through the Cornelis Vrolijk trading network, alongside French processors such as Sepoa Delgove in Fécamp. Operations are run with a workforce of approximately 37 onshore staff plus sea-based crews totaling roughly 100 personnel, supported by 2,250 hours of annual training and a stated policy of reinvesting 100% of profits into fleet modernization. Sustainability initiatives include a 10% reduction in at-sea carbon footprint, a 20% reduction onshore, an onboard camera pilot project for catch documentation, and a research partnership with Wageningen University.

The business model is asset-heavy industrial fishing under EU quota and regulatory frameworks, monetized through B2B wholesale of frozen pelagic species. Revenue predictability is tied to quota allocations, fuel and ocean conditions, and pricing within commodity-adjacent pelagic markets, while the Cornelis Vrolijk affiliation provides embedded international distribution and counterparty diversification at the parent-group level rather than at the France Pélagique entity level. Strategic intent, as evidenced by recent moves, centers on generational continuity (4th-generation leadership), sustainability certification stacking, and selective scientific and consumer-marketing engagement.

Name

France Pélagique

Legal name

France Pélagique

Website

https://francepelagique.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

France Pélagique is a French family-owned subsidiary of the Cornelis Vrolijk group that operates two modern freezer trawlers for pelagic fishing (mackerel, herring, horse mackerel, blue whiting, sardine), selling frozen-at-sea catch to international seafood distributors in West Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Pelagic Fishing

NAICS

Finfish Fishing (114111), Seafood Product Preparation and Packaging (31171)

SIC

Fishing, Hunting And Trapping (900), Prepared Fresh Or Frozen Fish & Seafoods (2092)

akta.pro primary industry

Finfish Processing (Filleting, Portioning, Trimming) (AFANADAB)

Keywords

• Pelagic fish fishing
• Frozen seafood export
• Freezer trawler operations
• Sustainable commercial fishing
• Fish processing onboard

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Commercial Fishing and Fish Sales: France Pélagique operates two freezer trawlers catching pelagic species (mackerel, herring, horse mackerel, blue whiting, sardine) which are processed onboard and sold commercially. The company sells frozen fish products primarily to international markets including West Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe through the Group Cornelis Vrolijk's sales network. Fish is also sold to French processing facilities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

France Pélagique is a French commercial fishing company that catches pelagic species (mackerel, herring, horse mackerel, blue whiting, sardine) using two freezer trawlers. Fish are processed and flash-frozen onboard at -50°C, then exported primarily to international B2B markets (West Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe) via the parent Cornelis Vrolijk group's sales network. Domestically, fish is supplied to French processors such as Sepoa Delgove for traditional salting operations.

Product overview

France Pélagique is a French fishing company (armement à la pêche) operating two freezer trawlers: the Prins Bernhard (88m, built 1983, renovated 2007/2008) and the Scombrus (81m, built 2020). The company catches five pelagic fish species (mackerel, herring, horse mackerel, blue whiting, and sardine) in waters between western Ireland, the northern Shetlands, and the North Sea. Both vessels are equipped with onboard factories that process and freeze fish at -50°C, producing frozen fish blocks (20-25kg plates) stored in ventilated holds at -25°C. Products are primarily exported to West Africa, Asia, and Eastern European countries. The company is a subsidiary of Cornelis Vrolijk Group and is led by Geoffroy Dhellemmes, representing the fourth generation of shipowners in the family.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hareng (Herring) Pelagic fish species with MSC certification (Eastern Channel/North Sea since 2006) and Ecolabel Pêche Durable (January 2024). Longevity: 15 years; average size: 20-40 cm; weight: 80-300 grams. Sold fresh or smoked, primarily to African markets and through historic salting operations in Fécamp.
• Maquereau (Mackerel) Pelagic fish species. Longevity: 15 years; average size: 25-40 cm; weight: 200-600 grams. Lives and moves in very dense schools in cold waters in summer, warmer waters from autumn. Caught by France Pélagique freezer trawlers and processed onboard.
• Chinchard (Horse Mackerel) Pelagic fish species. Longevity: 25 years; average size: 16-30 cm; weight: 80-500 grams. Moves in schools and migrates toward coasts in summer before returning offshore in autumn.
• Merlan Bleu (Blue Whiting) Pelagic fish species. Longevity: 10 years; average size: 18-25 cm; weight: 50-250 grams. Long, narrow body fish living in open water between 300-400m below the surface. Can be used for surimi production.
• Sardine Pelagic fish species not subject to quota regime. Longevity: 10 years; average size: 10-15 cm; weight: 50-150 grams. Evolves in very dense schools during the day, more dispersed at night when the group rises to the surface.

Quantifiable outcome

• Carbon footprint reduced by 10% at sea and 20% on land through sustainable practices and modern vessel technology
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship, major and minor.

• Cornelis VrolijkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1988Dutch fishing group and parent company of France Pélagique. Partnership formed in 1988 when Antoine Dhellemmes associated with Cornelis Vrolijk to create France Pélagique. The group provides commercial sales network for distributing fish products to international markets in Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe.
• From Nord (Fonds Régional d'Organisation du Marché du Poisson Nord)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProducer Organization (OP) created in 1965 in Boulogne-sur-Mer. Membership includes high-sea fishing companies and artisans (trawlers, shellfish gatherers, and net fishermen). Provides essential cooperation framework for quota mutualization and redistribution among members.
• MSC (Marine Stewardship Council)coreOthersInternational non-profit organization working with fishing industries, scientists, and environmental organizations to certify sustainable fisheries. France Pélagique holds MSC certification for herring (Eastern Channel and North Sea) since 2006, meeting principles of sustainable stock management, minimal environmental impact, and effective governance.
• DG AMPA (Direction Générale de l'Alimentation, des Partenariats et de la Réglementation)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench government directorate within the Ministry of Agriculture. France Pélagique voluntarily participates in pilot project for onboard cameras, installing 4 cameras aboard the Scombrus to enable state authorities to monitor fishing operations at key stages for regulatory compliance and transparency.
• FranceAgriMercoreOthersFrench public establishment responsible for agricultural and fisheries policy. Issues the Ecolabel Pêche Durable certification which France Pélagique obtained in January 2024 for herring fishery in Eastern Channel/North Sea.
• UAPF (Union des Armateurs à la Pêche de France)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederation of French fishing companies. Represents and promotes interests of French fishing operators before public authorities, EU institutions, and international fisheries management organizations. Participates in Common Fisheries Policy development.
• Sepoa DelgovemajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFish processing facility in Fécamp, France. France Pélagique supplies herring for maritime salting operations, reactivating a historic Fécamp production line. Both companies share commitment to product quality, employment quality, and operational practices.
• Université Wageningen (Dr. Niels Hintzen)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch collaboration with Wagenlingen University scientists for stock assessment and fisheries management expertise. Dr. Niels Hintzen, Director of Research and expert in stock evaluation, provides scientific insight on herring migration patterns and stock management.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Ocean Choice International: Canadian vertically integrated seafood company operating offshore freezer trawlers harvesting groundfish and pelagic species in the Northwest Atlantic. Comparable in business model—wild-catch fishing with onboard processing and freezing—and in selling frozen-at-sea products to international markets.
• Cornelis Vrolijk: Dutch pelagic fishing conglomerate and parent company of France Pélagique since 1988. Cornelis Vrolijk operates a large fleet of freezer trawlers across Europe catching the same pelagic species (mackerel, herring, blue whiting, horse mackerel) and provides the international commercial sales network used by France Pélagique.
• Mareval: French fishing company based in Brittany engaged in pelagic and deep-sea fishing. Comparable to France Pélagique as a French armement operating high-sea fishing vessels with catch processing and distribution through French and European seafood channels.
• Compagnie des Pêches de Saint-Malo: French family-owned fishing company based in Saint-Malo, Brittany, operating a fleet of fishing vessels including pelagic trawlers. Comparable to France Pélagique as a long-standing French armement with focus on high-sea fishing and B2B sales of fresh and frozen fish products.

Broad incumbents

• Lerøy Seafood Group: Norwegian seafood company with wild-catch pelagic operations (through subsidiary Havfisk) focusing on cod and pelagic species. Overlaps with France Pélagique in pelagic fishing quota markets and European seafood distribution, though Lerøy's salmon aquaculture business is outside France Pélagique's scope.
• Pescanova: Spanish multinational seafood company with vertical integration across wild-catch fishing (including pelagic species), aquaculture, and processed seafood. Comparable to France Pélagique as a European pelagic fishing operator with international market reach, though broader in product portfolio.
• Thai Union Group: Thailand-based global seafood conglomerate and one of the world's largest canned tuna and seafood producers. While not a direct fishing peer, Thai Union operates upstream fishing assets and competes with France Pélagique in supplying frozen pelagic fish to downstream processors and African/Asian markets.
• Saupiquet: French canned seafood brand (owned by Bolton Group) sourcing mackerel, sardine, and tuna for canned products in France. Adjacent to France Pélagique as a downstream French seafood customer that competes with other frozen pelagic suppliers for retail and foodservice demand in domestic French market.
• Austevoll Seafood: Norwegian seafood conglomerate with significant pelagic fishing operations (including Leroy Pelagic and Havfisk) catching mackerel, herring, and blue whiting in the Northeast Atlantic. Direct competitor to France Pélagique in the same pelagic fisheries, with overlapping quota allocations and similar European customer base.
• Maruha Nichiro: Japan's largest seafood company, vertically integrated across fishing, aquaculture, and processing of pelagic species (mackerel, sardine, herring). Comparable to France Pélagique as a large-scale pelagic fishing operator with global supply chain reach, though far larger and more diversified.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/france-p%C3%A9lagique

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 France Pélagique