Seaweed sector up and coming
Aquaculture, the fastest growing food production sector in the world, is now responsible for over half of global seafood production.
Seaweed farming has attracted several new entrants, Minister of State Timmy Dooley told the Irish Farmers Association’s aquaculture committee’s annual conference in Limerick.
He also revealed that early innovation projects are currently being carried out by researchers, which in time, should support further development of the sector.
Aquaculture, the fastest growing food production sector in the world, is now responsible for over half of global seafood production, he said, confirming the Government’s commitment to supporting and developing it in Ireland.
Minister Dooley said Ireland’s aquaculture sector is worth around €169m to the economy and sustains 1,833 direct jobs in remote rural areas – 80% of which are in the west of Ireland. It was estimated that every full-time job in aquaculture creates 2.27 additional jobs locally.
Irish aquaculture offers a resource-efficient method, with low inputs, of producing good quality food. It produces a large amount of food per area used, with a low carbon footprint. It is a major contributor to seafood production, with organic farmed salmon being the country’s highest-value seafood export.
IFA Aquaculture chairman Finian O’Sullivan said it was encouraging to hear from the Minister recently that implementation of the National Strategic Plan for Sustainable Aquaculture Development is progressing with the establishment of a strategic group which will include industry engagement.
Mr O’Sullivan said 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.
