International markets hungry for seafood will take Irish seafood sales to 1 billion euros, said the country’s fishery chief recently.
“The resource that fishermen are sitting on is becoming increasingly valuable,” said Jason Whooley, chief executive of Bord Iascaigh Mhara’s (BIM), Ireland’s fisheries agency.
Speaking at the Irish Skipper expo on Friday, Whooley claimed that tapping into growth opportunities could even generate an extra 3,000 jobs for the industry by 2020.
In 2005, Ireland’s seafood industry injected some EUR 720 million into the national economy, up from EUR 617 million in 2000, according to BIM figures. But repeating a picture across Europe, while demand for seafood is actually bullish, declining fish stocks and quotas and structural “imbalances at the catching and processing levels” are challenging the seafood industry.
A 2010 BIM report stated: “The long-term sustainability and development of the Irish seafood industry will require a more integrated approach on the part of the various stakeholders along the value-chain, with a greater focus on deriving maximum value for fish.”
Supporting the industry in its need to “restructure and innovate” is a national seafood strategy for the country, outlined in Ireland’s National Development Plan 2007-13. The plan provides for combined EU and national funding support of EUR 216 million to develop the seafood sector, and an additional EUR 118 million in national funds.
In step with the strategy, Jason Whooley on Friday confirmed that in order to leverage the strident seafood demand, fishermen must shift their focus from “stand alone” to the supplier of a major international market. Further, he said, fishermen must keep their eye on global trends ensuring their products are in step with markets.
In volume terms, the bulk of landings in 2006 comprised of pelagic species — herring, mackerel and horse mackerel valued at EUR 73.6 million. Landings of shellfish were valued EUR 97.7 million and whitefish amounted to 27,601 metric tons worth EUR 50.1 million. Aquaculture output reached EUR 124 million in 2006 from 57,422 metric tons of finfish and shellfish.
Sales of seafood on the Irish market reached EUR 311 million in 2005 (EUR 137 million into retail and EUR 174 million into foodservice), with exports valued at EUR 354 million, and an additional EUR 55.1 million earned through direct landings of fish by Irish vessels at foreign ports.
According to BIM, the Irish processing sector is concentrated in the coastal regions of Donegal, Galway, Cork, Kerry and the South East. When the report was published in 2010, there were 198 firms engaged in handling, processing and distribution of fish. Just 10 companies employed more than 50 people in full-time positions, while “a significant number” of small operators supplied a local market or sell to niche market outlets.International markets hungry for seafood will take Irish seafood sales to 1 billion euros, said the country’s fishery chief recently.
“The resource that fishermen are sitting on is becoming increasingly valuable,” said Jason Whooley, chief executive of Bord Iascaigh Mhara’s (BIM), Ireland’s fisheries agency.
Speaking at the Irish Skipper expo on Friday, Whooley claimed that tapping into growth opportunities could even generate an extra 3,000 jobs for the industry by 2020.
In 2005, Ireland’s seafood industry injected some EUR 720 million into the national economy, up from EUR 617 million in 2000, according to BIM figures. But repeating a picture across Europe, while demand for seafood is actually bullish, declining fish stocks and quotas and structural “imbalances at the catching and processing levels” are challenging the seafood industry.
A 2010 BIM report stated: “The long-term sustainability and development of the Irish seafood industry will require a more integrated approach on the part of the various stakeholders along the value-chain, with a greater focus on deriving maximum value for fish.”
Supporting the industry in its need to “restructure and innovate” is a national seafood strategy for the country, outlined in Ireland’s National Development Plan 2007-13. The plan provides for combined EU and national funding support of EUR 216 million to develop the seafood sector, and an additional EUR 118 million in national funds.
In step with the strategy, Jason Whooley on Friday confirmed that in order to leverage the strident seafood demand, fishermen must shift their focus from “stand alone” to the supplier of a major international market. Further, he said, fishermen must keep their eye on global trends ensuring their products are in step with markets.
In volume terms, the bulk of landings in 2006 comprised of pelagic species — herring, mackerel and horse mackerel valued at EUR 73.6 million. Landings of shellfish were valued EUR 97.7 million and whitefish amounted to 27,601 metric tons worth EUR 50.1 million. Aquaculture output reached EUR 124 million in 2006 from 57,422 metric tons of finfish and shellfish.
Sales of seafood on the Irish market reached EUR 311 million in 2005 (EUR 137 million into retail and EUR 174 million into foodservice), with exports valued at EUR 354 million, and an additional EUR 55.1 million earned through direct landings of fish by Irish vessels at foreign ports.
According to BIM, the Irish processing sector is concentrated in the coastal regions of Donegal, Galway, Cork, Kerry and the South East. When the report was published in 2010, there were 198 firms engaged in handling, processing and distribution of fish. Just 10 companies employed more than 50 people in full-time positions, while “a significant number” of small operators supplied a local market or sell to niche market outlets.
