Sale of seafood surges for Lent

THE annual surge in the purchase and consumption of fish that Ireland traditionally experiences on Ash Wednesday is set to reach a new high today.

It follows An Bord Iascaigh Mhara’s (BIM) end-of-year statement for the Irish seafood industry, which recorded estimated total sales worth €803 million, up 6% on the 2006 figure (€778m).

The figures reveal the retail and food service market for seafood continued to show growth with domestic seafood sales to the retail sector increasing by 7% to €169m, while sales to the food service sector increased 5% to €213m.