Huge appetite for fish exports
Delegates attending SeaFest 2015 Maritime Festival in Ringaskiddy, Co Cork, will hear that the average French person consumes 34kg of fish per annum, rising to 70kg per person in in Japan, while Irish people only consume 21kg of seafood each year.
Seafood industry leaders and culinary experts will discuss the opportunities to boost Irish exports at the Harnessing Our Ocean Wealth conference on July 10. This will be followed by Seafest, a family day, on July 11.
With seafood sales generating over €850m annually and the demand for Irish seafood worldwide on the increase, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has identified seafood as an industry with significant potential.
Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney, said: “Ireland’s blue growth shows the enormous potential of our incredible marine resources, and the opportunity, highlighted in the government’s Integrated Marine Plan Harnessing Our Ocean Wealth, to enable this sector to be a key driver in our economic recovery, providing social and cultural benefits as well as economic return for Ireland.”
Industry experts from Ireland, the EU and USA will convene on the site of the new €15m Beaufort building for the conference, and the event is expected to attract over 600 delegates.
EU Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Karmenu Vella, will lead discussion on management and governance of our oceans, enhancing Europe’s maritime competitiveness, while continuing to protect the environment.
Latest indicators show Ireland’s maritime economy increased 9% from 2010 to 2012, while growth in Irish GDP during the same period was only 4.75%. In the period 2012 to 2014, the blue economy has continued to outperform the national economy with growth rates of 8% and employment has also increased from 17,425 to 18,480 full-time equivalents.
Meanwhile, the family day will feature seafood cookery demonstrations from celebrity TV chefs Martin Shanahan and Rory O’Connell. BIM’s expert fishmongers will offer advice on how to cook seafood meals at home. There will also be an opportunity to sample and purchase seafood products from 11 Irish seafood companies.
BIM will have a large seafood display counter on view in Ringaskiddy to showcase the huge variety of fish and shellfish species available.
