Some 87 per cent of regular seafood eaters like to know their fish was caught sustainably, a survey by the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) has found.
While quality is the main priority of Irish consumers (96%), knowing fish and shellfish has been caught legally (85%) and in a sustainable manner (87%) have emerged as major concerns, the State’s sea fisheries and seafood regulator says.
Some 87 per cent also prioritised price, while 92 per cent of those surveyed believe more should be done to safeguard the sustainability of Ireland’s marine resources, the survey found.
The research was conducted online by Amárach Research on a total sample of 1,500 adults from December 8th -21st, 2021.
The SFPA says the survey reported overwhelming support for the reporting of illegal fishing to the authorities (90%) with most (77%) consumers saying that they would not buy fish if they knew it was illegally caught.
Traceability is also a factor, especially amongst younger consumers, the SFPA says.
Almost half (48%) of those aged under 35 said that having greater confidence in the traceability of a product would encourage them to eat more fish regularly.
The survey found that most regular consumers of fish (82%), especially in coastal regions, are willing to change their buying habits to reduce their impact on marine resources.
Almost three quarters (seven out of ten respondents) stated they only want to buy fish in a way that does not adversely impact marine resources.
“Like many other parts of the economy, the sea-fisheries and seafood sector has seen some constriction of activity and sales due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, “SFPA authority member Tim Donovan said.
“The resilience of the sector and the potential for further development of domestic and overseas markets is widely acknowledged,” he said.
Consumer trust in the quality, provenance and safety of Ireland’s seafood produce is critical to achieving these ambitions and cannot be overstated,” he said.
“ It is essential to the reputation and future success of the sea-fisheries and seafood sectors which so many communities around the coast rely on for a living,” he added.
Ireland’s seafood economy is valued at an estimated €1.09bn n per annum with domestic consumption accounting for 37% of this figure, according to the latest figures from Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM)
Currently, the industry supports over 16,000 livelihoods with over 1,994 Irish-registered vessels, 309 aquaculture production units and 160 seafood processors, BIM states.
The SFPA says that anyone who wishes to report suspected illegal sea-fishing activity can contact its confidential line at 1800 76 76 76, by email at [email protected] or through the SFPA’s website, SFPA.ie/Confidential-Line.
