ASSOCIATION PETITE CAMARGUE ALSACIENNE

What ASSOCIATION PETITE CAMARGUE ALSACIENNE does

The Association de la Petite Camargue Alsacienne is a French non-profit association (association de droit local) that manages the Petite Camargue Alsacienne, the first Réserve Naturelle Nationale of Alsace, classified by ministerial decree on June 11, 1982. The reserve spans 904 hectares across five municipalities (Bartenheim, Kembs, Rosenau, Saint-Louis, and Village-Neuf) at the southeastern limit of Haut-Rhin in the Trois Frontières tri-border region of France, Germany, and Switzerland. Its functional purpose is the preservation of representative habitats and species of the Rhine floodplain, the reintroduction of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) to the Rhine under the IKSR-coordinated Saumon 2040 program, and the delivery of environmental education to the public.

The association's product surface centers on three core operations: a historic 1852 Imperial Fish Hatchery that produces approximately 300,000 Atlantic salmon eggs annually through a closed-circuit recirculating aquaculture system equipped with Endress+Hauser digital water quality sensors (oxygen, nitrate, pH, flow, pressure, level) transmitting via Edge Devices to the Netilion IoT cloud platform; the CINE (Centre d'Initiation à la Nature et à l'Environnement) nature education center providing bilingual French-German guided programs for schools, families, and adult groups; and two permanent museum exhibitions — 'Mémoire du Rhin' and 'Mémoire de Saumon' — housed in the historic fish farm buildings, complemented by a NatuRh'info boutique, 15 km of trails, and 13 observatories. A salmon sponsorship program at €5 per fish links donors to release events in the Old Rhine.

The association is governed by a 42-member Administrative Council representing local authorities and partner associations from France, Germany, and Switzerland, with day-to-day operations led by Director Philippe Knibiely and a salaried staff of approximately 20 across direction, administration, conservation, fish farming, CINE animation, and reception. Revenue is generated through membership subscriptions (€20 single / €30 couple / €35+ supporting, with 66% French tax deduction), donations and salmon sponsorships, exhibition admissions (€3 adult, €2 child, free for under-6 and MuseumPASS holders), boutique sales of local products and nature guides, and material public funding from Saint-Louis Agglo, the Collectivité Européenne d'Alsace, EDF, and institutional partners including IKSR, Saumon Rhin Association, Uni Basel, CRBPO/Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Réserves naturelles de France, Crédit Mutuel, and Museums-PASS-Musées.

Name

ASSOCIATION PETITE CAMARGUE ALSACIENNE

Legal name

Association de la Petite Camargue Alsacienne

Website

https://petitecamarguealsacienne.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Association de la Petite Camargue Alsacienne is a French non-profit managing Alsace's first National Nature Reserve (904 hectares) at the France-Germany-Switzerland border, operating the historic 1852 Imperial Fish Hatchery for Atlantic salmon reintroduction, the CINE nature education center, and bilingual permanent exhibitions, serving visitors, schools, members, and public funding partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nature Conservation and Environmental Education

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190), Aquaculture (11251), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Biodiversity & Habitat Conservation (BPAGAGAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Salmonid Hatcheries (Salmon, Trout, Char) (AFAEAKAD), Natural History Museums (THAJADAC)

Keywords

• Nature reserve management
• Wildlife conservation services
• Environmental education programs
• Salmon reintroduction breeding
• Natural habitat preservation

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint-Louis

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: Annual membership fees providing donors with 66% tax deduction. Over 1000 members support the association.
2. Donations and Sponsorship: Tax-deductible donations (66% deduction up to 20% of taxable income). Salmon sponsorship program at €5 per salmon, including invitation to salmon release events.
3. Exhibition Entry Fees: Admission fees for permanent exhibitions 'Mémoire du Rhin' and 'Mémoire de Saumon': €3 adults, €2 children (6-16 years), free for children under 6 and MuseumPASS holders.
4. Boutique Sales: Retail sales of local products, nature guides, children's books, postcards, and refreshments. Proceeds support environmental education activities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Association de la Petite Camargue Alsacienne manages a 904-hectare National Nature Reserve in the Rhine floodplain of Alsace, France, providing protected habitat for native species. It operates the historic Imperial Fish Hatchery (Pisciculture Impériale, 1852) for Atlantic salmon reintroduction, producing approximately 300,000 eggs annually as part of the Saumon 2040 program. Through its CINE nature education center, the association delivers guided tours, school programs, and public animations, and runs permanent museum exhibitions, a visitor boutique, and a salmon sponsorship program for donors.

Product overview

The Association de la Petite Camargue Alsacienne operates a nature reserve management organization comprising a unified portfolio centered on the Réserve Naturelle (904-hectare National Nature Reserve), supplemented by specialized sub-products. The core offering is the nature reserve itself, complemented by the historic Pisciculture fish farming operation dedicated to Atlantic salmon reintroduction, and the CINE nature education center providing guided programs. Supporting these are permanent exhibitions (Mémoire du Rhin and Mémoire de Saumon), visitor facilities (Maison Éclusière and Maison de la Réserve), an on-site boutique, and a salmon sponsorship program. The organization operates as a non-profit association with over 1,000 members, offering both free access to trails and observatories and paid educational programs and museum exhibitions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Réserve Naturelle de la Petite Camargue Alsacienne
• Pisciculture - Salmon Reintroduction Program
• CINE Nature Education Programs
• Mémoire du Rhin Permanent Exhibition
• Mémoire de Saumon Permanent Exhibition
• NatuRh'info Boutique
• Salmon Sponsorship Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 300,000 salmon eggs hatched annually as part of the Saumon 2040 program
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, secondary and minor.

• Endress+HausercoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2023Endress+Hauser installed comprehensive digital water quality monitoring systems at the fish farm including oxygen sensors, nitrate sensors, pH sensors, flow meters, and pressure transmitters. Data transmitted via Edge Devices to Netilion Value cloud platform for real-time remote monitoring of salmon breeding conditions. French state supported this customized digital solution.
• Saumon Rhin AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoordinates the salmon reintroduction program (Saumon 2040) for the Rhine. The fish farm breeds Atlantic salmon for restocking the Rhine and its tributaries based on genetic stock from wild salmon caught at Gambsheim and Iffezheim fish ladders.
• Saint-Louis AgglomajorOthersAgglomeration community of Saint-Louis as financial partner supporting the association's conservation activities.
• CEA (Collectivité Européenne d'Alsace)majorOthersEuropean Collectivity of Alsace as financial partner supporting nature reserve management and conservation.
• EDF (Électricité de France)coreOthersEDF operates the hydropower facilities at Kembs and Märkt where the Rhine Island access points are located. Weekly salmon migration data collection at the Märkt fish ladder.
• Réserves naturelles de FrancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational federation of French nature reserves providing network support, best practices, and collective advocacy for protected areas.
• Uni BaselsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Basel as academic and research partner for cross-border nature conservation in the Three Borders region.
• CRBPO (Centre de Recherche sur la Biologie des Populations d'Oiseaux)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch center at the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle in Paris. ORNIS group operates under official CRBPO authorization for bird banding activities in the nature reserve since 1983.
• Crédit MutuelminorOthersProvides free online payment form for membership fees, salmon sponsorships, and donations. Part of Saint-Louis Régio initiative.
• IKSR (Internationale Kommission zum Schutz des Rheins)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational Commission for the Protection of the Rhine coordinates the Saumon 2040 salmon reintroduction program across Switzerland, France, Luxembourg, Germany, and Netherlands.
• Museums-PASS-MuséesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProvides free admission to over 350 museums in the Upper Rhine region (Alsace/Moselle, Baden-Württemberg, Basel cantons) including the 'Mémoire de Saumon' exhibition.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• WWF France: Largest international conservation NGO operating in France with broad portfolio spanning habitat protection, species recovery, and public engagement. Operates at much larger scale than Petite Camargue Alsacienne but competes for the same membership and donor pool.
• Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux (LPO): France's largest bird and biodiversity NGO with national reach and a network of local branches. Operates nature reserves, runs educational programs, and engages volunteers in monitoring activities (e.g., bird banding) comparable to the ORNIS group's work at Petite Camargue Alsacienne.

Regional players

• Naturama - Centre d'initiation à la nature, Champéry: Swiss nature-initiation center located across the Rhine border in the Trois Frontières region. Runs comparable nature-education programs, exhibitions, and family-oriented activities, making it a direct regional peer in CINE's core offering.
• Parc naturel régional des Vosges du Nord: Adjacent regional natural park in Alsace-Lorraine offering comparable visitor experiences including trails, observatories, educational programs, and permanent exhibitions — but at larger scale and with different ecological focus (low mountain forest vs. Rhine floodplain).

Direct peers

• Saumon Rhin Association: Strategic partner that coordinates the Saumon 2040 program across the Rhine. Shares the salmon reintroduction mission and works jointly with Petite Camargue Alsacienne on breeding, restocking, and genetic monitoring of Atlantic salmon.
• Fédération des Conservatoires d'espaces naturels: National federation of regional Conservatoires d'espaces naturels operating under similar non-profit, member-supported, site-management model. Represents the broader network to which the regional Alsace Conservatoire belongs.
• Conservatoire d'espaces naturels d'Alsace: Regional Alsatian conservation organization managing natural sites across the same Haut-Rhin geography. Directly comparable mission of preserving local habitats and species through site management, public engagement, and partnership with local authorities.
• Réserves Naturelles de France: National federation of French nature reserves that the association partners with directly. Operates as a network hub providing shared advocacy, best practices, and collective representation for individual Réserves Naturelles Nationales, including Petite Camargue Alsacienne.

Emerging players

• Aquarium de Paris - Cinéaqua: Paris-based public aquarium combining fish exhibition with educational programming. Comparable in combining live aquatic-animal display, conservation messaging, and visitor-paid admissions — though operates in marine context while Petite Camargue Alsacienne focuses on salmon reintroduction.

Others

• Internationale Kommission zum Schutz des Rheins (IKSR): Intergovernmental commission coordinating Rhine protection across five countries. Functions as program coordinator and ecosystem-level enabler rather than a direct site operator, but is the institutional counterpart that legitimizes and funds the Saumon 2040 program at Petite Camargue Alsacienne.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/100072042215750
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/association-petite-camargue-alsacienne

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 ASSOCIATION PETITE CAMARGUE ALSACIENNE