#marine – The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney TD, today launched a public consultation process on the preparation of a Marine Research and Seafood Sector Low Carbon Roadmap. This sectoral roadmap is being prepared in connection with the Minister's proposed obligations under the Climate Change Action and Low Carbon Bill.
The Minister is inviting views from stakeholders to contribute to the formulation of this sectoral roadmap, which will in turn contribute to a national low carbon roadmap.
In launching the consultation Minister Coveney said "It is long recognised that marine science is a critical part of our understanding of climate change. The Gulf Stream and other Atlantic currents have a direct impact on the weather we experience both on land and at sea. The Marine Institute has been engaged in longstanding research on the effects of climate change observed in Irish waters. Through the development of Ireland's Integrated Marine Plan, Ireland is poised to harness our ocean wealth by utilising marine research and innovation to boost Ireland's marine economy.
Ireland's sustainable seafood credentials are increasingly important to the consumer and to the long-term development of the sector. The resources of our marine environment, which our fishermen and seafood producers rely on for their livelihoods, are particularly vulnerable to the changes in our climate and sea-level rise. For these reasons it is important to give stakeholders an opportunity to participate in the development of their sectoral roadmap."
Ireland's seafood and fisheries sectors have high-growth potential and are critically important to the Irish economy. The seafood sector currently employs 11,000 people with annual sales of €700 million. Under Food Harvest 2020, it is planned to increase revenue to €1 billion and employment to 14,000 by 2020.
This preliminary stakeholder consultation runs until Friday 27 December 2013.
