Brief overview

The company was founded in 1944 and has been in operation for over 60 years.   Eskja is a company whose activities are mainly based on wild fish resources. 
The company operates three fishing vessels, a fishmeal & oil factory and a freezing plant for Whitefish.  Eskja holds quotas within the Icelandic fisheri zone. The Icelandic fisheries system is established and well developed.  Sustainability being the key objective in the fisheri management system.

Eskja holds quotas in many species: 

• Capelin 
• Blue Whiting
• Herring
• Atlantic Cod
• Haddock
• Ocean Perch (Red fish)
• Saithe / Pollock
• Green Halibut
  

The vessels, Hólmaborg and Jón Kjartansson (both purse net seiners and trawlers, fishing pelagic fish)  supply the fishmeal & oil factory with raw material, mainly  Caplin, Blue Whiting and Herring.

The company is also buying raw material from other vessels.   Hólmatindur, a deep sea trawler, is supplying the freezing plant with Cod and Haddock.  Other catches are sold on fish markets in Iceland or abroad.   The Ocean Perch and the Green Halibut are also frozen at sea.

The company went public in 1997, (listed on the ICEX) but was then taken private again in 2004.   The ownership is now concentrated, with three key shareholders.  The company changed its name to Eskja in 2003 - from Hraðfrystihús Eskifjarðar (Plant 20).

There are 125 employees at Eskja Ltd.  1/3 at sea, others working in the processing plants, service department and head office.   Annual turnover is around 45 Million USD or 35 Million EUR.

More detailed information regarding Eskja operations, product overview, financial information, can be obtained by selecting the categories listed on this website.