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Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 23 Nov 1995

Vol. 458 No. 7

Written Questions. - Fish Landings.

Brendan Kenneally

Question:

25 Mr. Kenneally asked the Minister for the Marine the total landings of fish at Irish ports for the last year for which information is available to him; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17476/95]

I am forwarding to the Deputy the landing statistics for the year ending December 1994. These statistics list, by species, volume and value, landings at 123 ports and landing points around the coast. In 1994 the volume of sea fish landed was 275,025 tonnes, valued at over £101 million. The landings comprised 32,356 tonnes of demersal species, 212,108 tonnes of pelagic species and 30,561 tonnes of shellfish.

There has been a very significant upward growth curve in the level of Irish fish landings in recent years. The objective under the Fisheries Operational Programme is to increase both the volume and value of landings to over 300,000 tonnes worth £118 million by the year 2000. This is of course critically dependent on current stock levels being maintained and improved and effective conservation policies being pursued.

The major impact of this expansion of landings has been the increase in onshore value added through development of the fish processing sector and related employment. Continued expansion of the processing sector is dependent on consistency, quality and availability of supply from both the catching and aquaculture sectors. There are significant opportunities for greater added value through the conversion of a larger volume of current landings into processed products.

The investment plans now under way under the Operational Programme for fleet modernisation, aquaculture, ports facilities and the fish processing sector are geared to realising those opportunities. In my visits to fishery harbours and facilities around the coast I have been particularly impressed at progress being made by fisheries co-operatives to achieve closer integration between the catching side and onshore processing. I will be supporting and encouraging that positive trend.
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