Fishermen in Ireland have responded in record numbers to the latest National Seafood Survey for fisheries, with more than 500 surveys completed by vessel owners, more than double the survey returns from last year and the highest response rate achieved for the fleet yet. The survey, which was launched in October 2023 and collected data for 2022, closed at the end of January.

The annual survey of the fishing fleet and subsequent submission of aggregated data to the European Commission would not be possible without the consistent support and assistance of skippers, vessel owners, and their representatives. Completing the survey is a legal requirement and a condition of grant payment.

The purpose of the survey, conducted by Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), is to invite all active vessels to submit economic, employment, and operational details for their previous year’s activity. The information received in these surveys returns influence decisions made for national and EU grant aid programmes that are focused on supporting the Irish seafood industry and coastal communities.

2022 was an extremely challenging year for the sector due to soaring energy costs, high inflation linked to the war in Ukraine and ongoing quota reductions as a result of Brexit. High response rates to the survey this year have helped BIM to gain insights into the impacts these challenges have had on the economic performance of the fleet at a national and segment level.

The findings of the survey are published annually providing a comprehensive analysis of the economic performance of the fleet and the social demographics of people employed in the industry. Last year’s publication is available on the BIM website here.

BIM will host a series of meetings with vessel owners and skippers to discuss the findings of the most recent survey once they are available in September 2024.

Dr. Sarah Perry, the BIM National Seafood Survey Coordinator, is available for further information on the survey at [email protected]