First sustainability report on Irish aquaculture released

Ireland's seafood development agency Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) has introduced its inaugural sustainability report on Irish aquaculture, shedding light on the environmental and economic impact of Ireland’s aquaculture industry.

The report, which takes its baseline data from the years 2017 to 2019, establishes a benchmark for assessing the sustainability of the salmon, rope mussel, and oyster farming sectors across four key dimensions: environmental, economic, social, and innovation.

According to report author Dr Ronan Cooney, the sustainability data will provide a valuable reference for the industry and policymakers, in addition to "providing accessible information which stakeholders can use in their own sustainability plans".

“This inaugural sustainability report provides valuable insights into how the Irish aquaculture sector is performing from a sustainability perspective. BIM has developed this report as tool that industry can use to assess and communicate their sustainability performance and look at ways to improve and progress, ensuring it is well placed to meet future production demands," Cooney explained.

According to BIM, the data from the report "shows that aquaculture products are resource efficient with low inputs required to produce good quality products", with Ireland's aquaculture sector supplying over 154 million meals per year.

“The report shows that the salmon, rope mussel and oyster segments have good environmental performance with some variance within years,” Cooney said.

From an economic perspective, BIM noted, the results are mixed. While Gross Value Added (GVA) has declined in some areas, the sales value per unit of production has seen an increase. Social metrics, such as employment levels and wage multipliers, have shown positive trends, though some challenges persist.

“Challenges identified include an ageing worker population with low levels of recruitment and gender diversity. However the sector has embraced innovation to a high level and has adopted new forms of organisation and process controls," Cooney said.

BIM indicated that the report and data will inform Ireland's National Strategic Plan for the Sustainable Development of Aquaculture. 

The full report is available on the BIM website.