France F1 (North) Socio-economic Profile


1 France : F1

1.1 Overview

The area defined as France F1 includes Nord/Pas-de-Calais, Picardy, Upper Normandy, Lower Normandy, Lorraine, Alsace, Franche-Comté, Burgundy, Centre, Champagne-Ardenne and Ile-de-France. In 1997  the fleet in the France F1 area consisted of 1,024 vessels with a total of 199,200 kW. 66% of these vessels were under 12 m in length.. 73% of the vessels are 10 years or older. The majority of fleet landings are in Bolougne and Cherbourg, 46% and 29% of total landings in the area. The landings consist mainly of sole, cod, turbot and scallops.

Processing in France is split into "Mareyage" primary processing and ' l'industrie de la transformation' secondary processing. The value of the fish processing sector in 1997 was 820,252,246 ECU.

In 1997 the output from marine aquaculture was 39,456  tonnes and had a value of 68,354,354 ECU.

Inland aquaculture is mainly of  trout and accounted for 12,111 tonnes output at a value of  
30,999,935 ECU.

There is no data regarding inland fishing in the area.
1.2 Coastal Fishing Employment

There were a total of 4,770 fishing persons employed in the F1 region, which represented 3,563 FTEs.  69% of employment was for more than 6 months in the year.  Geographically the areas of Boulogne (1,462 persons employed) and Cherbourg (1,374 persons employed) were the most important, with 59% of the fishers located in these areas. About 30% of the fishing employment in Boulogne is generated by the industrial fleet with another 30% of employment involving the 16-25 m boats.  By contrast, in Cherbourg more that 57% of employment is generated by 'artisanale' vessels less than 12m in length.

1.3 Processing Employment

The dominant centre of the primary processing industry is Boulogne with over 1,600 persons employed, representing 68% of all F1 primary processing persons employed.   Within the whole of the F1 region there are a total of 2,355 primary processing persons employed and 155 primary processing enterprises. The second most important centre in terms of numbers is Cherbourg with 325 persons employed.

Employment figures for secondary processing were obtained from the annual enterprise survey and were provided on a NUTS 2 level.  Total employment numbered 3,517 people working in 48 enterprises. As in primary processing Boulogne was the most important secondary processing centre, specialising in preparation of frozen fish,  principally from imported fish species, smoking  (mackerel and herring), and prepared fishery products. The NUTS 2 region, Nord / Pas de Calais had 1,922 people employed in 29 enterprises. The secondary processing industry has a high rate of female participation: 64% of the labour force are female.  There is a seasonal variation in the numbers employed with temporary workers recruited for the festive period production of  smoked salmon.

1.4 Vessel Construction and Repair

The number of persons employed in the construction and repair of vessels was 284 for F1 with 168 of these persons employed in Boulogne.

Other upstream activities included mechanics, electricians, fishing gear, boat painting etc and was estimated to provide employment for 417 people. Again the largest part (54%) of this employment was located in Boulogne.

1.5 Auction and Fish Market Employment

There are 10 auction halls and fish markets in the F1 region generating employment for 189 people.  39% of these persons employed are in Boulogne auction hall and 25% in the Cherbourg auction.

1.6 Marine Aquaculture Employment

The aquaculture sector in France is principally concerned with the production of oysters and mussels, la conchyliculture. There are 1,589 (1211 FTEs)  persons employed in total.  The largest centre of shellfish conchyliculture is around  Cherbourg where this sector employs 907 persons (FTEs), followed by Caen with 177 persons employed (FTEs), out of a total of 1,211 (FTEs) for the region of F1.  It is estimated that in Picardie and  Nord Pas de Calais  81% of the workers are men, whilst in Basse Normandie  77% of the persons employed are men.

Employment in marine fin fish aquaculture is estimated to be almost 130 people.  Salmon, Bass and Bream are produced in Boulogne and Cherbourg.

1.7 Inland Aquaculture Employment

Employment in inland aquaculture is estimated to total 428 persons. Inland aquaculture is evenly distributed, the main activity is in trout production.