Mussel farming near Skibbereen, County Cork, Ireland.
Photo: Adobe Stock
The Irish government has restated its support for Ireland's aquaculture industry, highlighting its economic, environmental, and regional importance. Meanwhile, industry stakeholders represented by IFA Aquaculture are calling for legislative reform to support future development of the sector.
Speaking at IFA Aquaculture’s Annual Conference in Limerick last week, Minister of State with responsibility for Fisheries, Timmy Dooley, acknowledged the Irish aquaculture sector’s role in supporting rural coastal communities, contributing to national food security, and boosting Ireland’s reputation for high-quality seafood.
Drawing on recent discussions held with Irish aquaculture industry representatives, the Minister acknowledged both the opportunities and the challenges facing the sector, and emphasised the Irish government’s commitment to working closely with stakeholders to support its future growth.
Although aquaculture occupies just 0.0004% of Ireland’s 17,500 km² inshore area, in 2023 it contributed approximately €182 million to the economy, supporting 1,961 jobs, according to BIM figures. The Irish government states 80% of aquaculture jobs are located in the west of Ireland, with each full-time position estimated to generate more than two additional jobs in surrounding communities.
In his address to the IFA conference, Dooley also noted the sector’s efficiency in producing high-quality food with low environmental impact. Organic farmed salmon remains Ireland’s highest-value seafood export, while emerging areas such as seaweed farming and algae-based innovation are showing further potential for growth, he said.
“Ireland produces seafood to a very high quality, that is in high demand in some markets,” the Minister said. “There is already innovation in the sector, with committed, hard-working, and adaptable producers. We need to continue to build on our reputation for world class seafood products, and explore all avenues to develop our production capacity.”
He also pointed to the role of technological investment and the development of the blue bioeconomy, alongside the implementation of Ireland’s National Strategic Plan for Sustainable Aquaculture Development 2030.
“I intend to work with the aquaculture industry, to understand and overcome as best we can the challenges the industry faces,” Dooley stated.
“I believe that the aquaculture industry in Ireland has a bright future, and the government is committed to supporting the ongoing development of this important sector," he concluded.
In a separate statement, IFA Aquaculture Chair Finian O’Sullivan said he was encouraged to hear from the Minister that the implementation of Ireland's aquaculture plan would involve establishing a strategic group with industry.
"This is the primary policy document for the Irish aquaculture sector as it sets out the key objectives and actions until 2030 and is also supported by the current Programme for Government,” O'Sullivan said.
“IFA Aquaculture has consistently raised the point in recent months that considerable investment and appropriate legislative changes will be required to achieve the objectives of the plan. Legislative reform is essential to move the sector forward and create certainty for the next generation – these matters were made clear to the Minister recently," he added.
The Irish Farming Association (IFA) is Ireland’s largest farming representative organisation, advocating for the interests of farmers across various sectors, including livestock, dairy, tillage, and aquaculture. The IFA Aquaculture Committee represents Irish aquaculture producers and works on issues such as regulation, licensing, funding, and sustainable development of the sector.