Irish Aquaculture - Information

Aquaculture is the farming of animals in the water and has been practised for centuries, with the monks farming fish in the middle ages. More recently the technology has progressed and the aquaculture sector is now producing in the region of 50 thousand tonnes annually and provides a valuable food product as well as much needed employment in many rural areas of Ireland.

A typical fish farm involves keeping fish in pens in the water column, caring for them and supplying them with food so they grow to market size. Or for shellfish, containing them in a specialised unit and allowing them to feed on natural plants and materials in the water column until they reach harvestable size. While farming fish has a lower carbon and water footprint to those of land animals, and a very efficient food fed to weight gain ratio compared to beef, pork or chicken, farming does require protein food sources and produces organic waste which is released into the surrounding waters. Finding sustainable food sources, and reducing the environmental impacts are key challenges facing the sector as it continues to grow.

Salmon is the most popular fish bought by Irish families. In Ireland, most of our salmon is farmed, and along with mussels and oysters, are the main farmed species in the country.

Aquaculture in Ireland

• Fish and shellfish are farmed in 14 Irish coastal counties.
• Irish SMEs and families grow salmon, oysters, mussels and other seafood
• The sector is worth €150m at the farm gate – 80% in export earnings.
• The industry sustains 1,833 direct jobs in remote rural areas – 80% in the west of Ireland
• Every full-time job in aquaculture creates 2.27 other jobs locally (Teagasc 2015)
• Ireland’s marine farms occupy 0.0004% of Ireland’s 17,500Km2 inshore area.
• 83% of people in coastal areas support the development of fish farming
• Aquaculture is a strong, sustainable and popular strategic asset for development and job creation (Foodwise 2025, National Strategic Plan, Seafood
• Operational Programme 2020, FAO, European Commission, European Investment Bank, Harvesting Our Ocean Wealth, Silicon Republic, CEDRA)
  Ireland has led the world in organically certified farmed fish for over 30 years
• Fish farm workers include people who have spent over two decades in the business to school-leavers intent on becoming third-generation farmers on their family sites.