Minister tells seafood centre users to expect global surge in demand

FISHERMEN operating out of the new National Seafood Centre at Clogheen, Clonakilty, Co Cork, can look forward to a surge in global demand for fish, according to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney.

Mr Coveney said this new “one-stop shop” for seafood processing will be ideally placed to serve the world’s need for an extra 42 million tonnes of seafood annually from 2030, as the UN estimates.

The new Clogheen centre will service the seafood-related functions of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority and BIM’s (Bord Iascaigh Mhara) business innovation and seafood product development activities.

Mr Coveney said: “My department, the public servants working in this new facility and I are committed to making sure that every effort is made to position Ireland to take full advantage of the enormous opportunities we see for expanding the seafood sector in Ireland.

“I am focused on firstly moving away from selling 85% of our seafood production in commodity form and instead developing new high-value processed seafood products in Ireland.

“Secondly, I want to attract a higher percentage of the near one million tonnes of seafood caught around Ireland to be landed into Ireland and serviced from Ireland.

“Thirdly, I am focussed on significantly expanding and developing sustainable aquaculture in Ireland. I want this expansion to be in traditional fin fish and shellfish farming but also I am taking new initiatives to drive on new large-scale deep water aquaculture which I see as a game changer in terms of jobs and economic activity for our aquaculture industry and coastal communities.”

Irish Seafood exports increased in value, in 2010 relative to 2009, by 14% to €378 million. In the first seven months of this year they are up by a further 10% relative to the first seven months of 2010.

The new National Seafood Centre — in co-locating the state’s seafood organisations and services — is designed to improve co-ordination, and maximise the sharing of expertise to enhance the industry as a whole.

There are 140 people directly employed in the centre, many of whom have relocated to the area thus adding to the economic viability of the Clonakilty area.