Fishing Industry.

Tuesday, 30 November 2004

Questions (119)

Richard Bruton

Question:

159 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Taoiseach the total value and tonnage of the fish catch since 1997; the value and volume of the output from the fish processing sector since 1997; and the numbers employed in fishing and in fish processing since 1997. [30946/04]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach (Mr. Kitt)

The estimates of sea fish landings for 1997 to 2003, which are largely based on data supplied by the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, are set out in Table 1 below.

Tables 2a and 2b show, in addition, the value and volume of aquaculture and inland fisheries, together with the total production.

Table 1. Sea Fish Landings

Year	Sea fish landings (value: million euro)	Sea fish landings (weight: tonnes)
1997	167.9	291,133
1998	192.3	320,163
1999	189.5	279,230
2000	189.0	272,875
2001	253.6	298,521
2002	209.9	245,165
2003	216.9	298,615

Table 2a. Fish Production — value: million euro

Year	Sea fish landings	Aquaculture	Inland	Total Production
1997	167.9	74.3	5.4	247.6
1998	192.3	77.2	6.2	275.7
1999	189.5	86.0	5.1	280.6
2000	189.0	95.4	6.1	290.5
2001	253.6	107.1	6.0	366.7
2002	209.9	117.4	5.5	332.8

Table 2b. Fish Production — weight: tonnes

Year	Sea fish landings	Aquaculture	Inland	Total Production
1997	291,133	38,721	738	330,592
1998	320,163	39,980	895	361,038
1999	279,230	43,856	775	323,861
2000	272,875	51,247	881	325,003
2001	298,521	60,935	900	360,356
2002	245,165	62,686	789	308,640

Figures for the value of output from the fish processing sector, covering the years 1997-2002, are provided in Table 3 below. These data are from the CSO census of industrial production. Corresponding volume figures are notavailable.

Table 3. Output and Employment in Processing and Preserving of Fish and Fish Products, NACE Code 1520

Year	Gross Output EUR 000	Net Output EUR 000	Employment
1997	301,382	101,083	2,756
1998	303,890	101,478	2,754
1999	315,192	87,639	2,645
2000	342,895	104,042	2,568
2001	365,690	93,493	2,798
2002	429,555	126,931	3,009

In relation to employment in the fishing industry, quarterly national household survey, QNHS, estimates of persons employed are contained in table 4.

Table 4. Persons in Employment in Fishing, NACE Code 05

Year	Employed in Fishing
1997 (LFS)	2,300
1998	3,600
1999	3,100
2000	3,100
2001	3,200
2002	4,000
2003	2,600
2004	2,800

Note

(1) Sea fish landings by foreign boats into Irish ports are not included in tables 1, 2a and 2b.

(2) The QNHS estimates are subject to sampling and other survey errors, which are greater in respect of smaller values and estimates of change.