#Seafood - Speaking at the opening of Ireland’s organic food stand at BioFach, the World Organic Trade Fair in Nuremburg, Germany this week Minister of State Tom Hayes of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine highlighted the opportunities that exist for Irish organic produce both at home and abroad.

“There are undoubtedly opportunities for indigenous Irish companies to make inroads into these export markets, and the Irish participation at Biofach is an important step in that direction,” said Minister Hayes.

Eight innovative Irish food companies - five of which are in the seafood sector - are participating at the event, which runs till Saturday 15 February.

Last year, BioFach attracted close to 2,500 exhibitors and some 41,800 trade visitors from 136 countries.

The minister also paid tribute to Bord Bia “who have once again done a wonderful job in organising the Irish food industry’s participation at this important event.

"I am convinced that with all the stakeholders of the industry working together, we can realise the potential that clearly exists for the Irish organic sector”.

Currently exhibiting at the Irish stand are Murphy's Irish Seafood, Kush Seafarms, Irish Seaspray, Emerald Mussels and the Irish Organic Salmon Company, along with beef and lamp specialists The Good Herdsman, Just Food and The Little Milk Company.

#seafood – Simon Coveney, T.D, The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine announced today the award of €2.4 million in grant aid to 25 seafood processing companies under the 2013 Seafood Processing Business Investment Scheme. Taken in conjunction with private sector investment the total investment will be over €8 million in 2013.

Scroll down the page for 2013 Grants approved.

Speaking at the announcement of the investments, Minister Coveney said:

"Processing is a high growth area in Ireland's seafood sector and has successfully targeted new business opportunities in markets like China, Russia and Africa. Overall exports were valued at €517m in 2012, an increase of 20% on 2012. This €8 million investment by the industry represents a very significant funding commitment by processing companies and Government to the seafood sector and underpins the confidence of new joint venture partnerships which were significant contributors to the increase in the value of Irish seafood exports in 2012".

The 25 companies receiving grant aid are from seven coastal counties across the country, namely Kerry, Dublin, Cork, Galway, Wexford, Mayo and Donegal.

The Minister said "The geographic spread of the companies receiving the grant aid is testament to the success of the Seafood Processing Business Investment Scheme and the innovative and creative developments happening in seafood generally".

The Minister made the announcement of the new investments at the launch of BIM's new strategy for the seafood sector 2013 – 2017. The strategy "Capturing Ireland's share of

the global seafood opportunity" sets targets for the creation of 1,200 additional jobs, aligned to a total sales value of €1 billion of which exports will form €650m by the end of 2017.

The Minister said "The Irish Seafood sector is currently in expansionary mode, it is a growth industry. I believe that through the type of investment supports and strategic plan announced today, the Government can assist Irish seafood processing companies to scale up, diversify further and innovate as they develop new markets, enhancing profitability and job creation prospects into the future."

Today's announcement follows previous investment supported by the Scheme of €10 million in 2012 and €7 million in 2011. Together these developments are setting a clear path to achievement of the potential of the seafood sector to create value added seafood products, as identified in Food Harvest 2020 and Action Plan for Jobs 2012. The Food Harvest 2020 strategy targets revenue growth in the seafood sector as a whole of €300 million by 2020, with employment capable of increasing by 3,000 in that period.

The Seafood Processing Business Investment Scheme is implemented as part of the Irish Seafood Development Programme 2007-2013. Grant aid is at a maximum rate of 20% for primary processing and 30% for secondary processing projects and is co-funded on a 50/50 basis by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and the European Fisheries Fund. The Scheme is implemented by BIM and Údarás na Gaeltachta, with Enterprise Ireland assisting in commercial evaluation of proposals. Successful projects are selected for grant aid by a selection board comprising the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, BIM, Údarás na Gaeltachta, Enterprise Ireland, the Marine Institute, the South and East Regional Assembly and the BMW Regional Assembly

Eligible companies are seafood processing micro/ SMEs with premises approved by the SFPA. Eligible costs may include the purchase of new machinery and equipment and the construction, extension or modernisation of seafood processing enterprises. Scheme application forms are available from www.bim.ie.

2013 Grants Approved under the Seafood Processing Business Investment Scheme

 

Company Name	County	Investment €	Grant €
Star Seafoods Ltd.	Kerry	519,745	155,923
Kish Fish Ltd.	Dublin	181,537	54,461
Good Fish Processing (Carrigaline) Ltd.	Cork	284,000	85,200
Breizon Ltd	Galway	89,900	26,970
Atlantis Seafoods Wexford Ltd.	Wexford	107,522	32,257
Keohane Seafood Ltd	Cork	853,530	256,059
Connemara Seafoods Frozen Ltd	Mayo	134,640	40,392
Normandy Ireland Ltd.	Cork	102,847	30,854
Dunns Seafare Ltd	Dublin	353,000	105,900
Premier Fish Ltd.	Donegal	160,000	32,000
Kilmore Fish Co. Ltd	Wexford	349,300	104,790
Island Seafoods Ltd.	Donegal	119,000	35,700
Arctic Fish Ltd	Donegal	140,000	42,000
Shellfish De La Mer	Cork	550,747	165,224
Charlie Vial (Fish Merchant) Ltd	Donegal	84,658	25,397
CSI Seafood Products Ltd.	Cork	270,000	81,000
Sofrimar Ltd	Wexford	327,961	98,388
William Carr & Sons Ltd	Cork	268,895	80,669
Rockabill Shellfish Ltd	Dublin	197,719	59,316
Sean Ward Fish Exports Ltd.	Donegal	974,875	292,462
Oilean Mara Teo	Galway	378,561	113,568
Proseail An Clochan Liath Teo.	Donegal	91,007	27,302
Fastnet Mussels	Cork	518,050	155,415
Earagail Eisc Teo	Donegal	935,000	280,500
Cill Chiarian Eisc Teo	Galway	20,000	6,000
TOTAL		8,012,495	2,387,748

 

 

 

 

#SEAFOOD BUSINESS - Galway Bay Seafood's ready-to-eat seafood range has received a boost with a number of its products getting gold stars in the UK's Great Taste awards.

The Galway Independent reports that the Galway-based fishmongers' barbecued salmon, barbecued and peppered smoked mackerel were awarded one gold star each, while smoked mackerel received the honour of two gold stars.

The locally produced fish will now carry the coveted Great Taste 2012 logo, described by proprietor Noel Holland as a "fantastic achievement" for the company and its staff.

"It is heartening to see all our work paying off and boosts the morale of everyone involved here," he told the Independent. "This boost will motivate us to keep striving to continually improve our business.”

Galway Bay Seafood's products were judged by a panel that included restaurateur and Masterchef winner Mat Follas - a chef whose seafood main helped him clinch that coveted title.

#JOBS AND CAREERS - More than 140 jobs are expected to be created by 21 seafood processing companies nationwide thanks to a new €15.5 million investment deal.

As The Irish Times reports, Minister for the Marine Simon Coveney was set today to announce the investment, supported by grants of €3.2 million under European Union seafood processing business scheme.

Some 21 small and medium enterprises – based in coastal counties Dublin, Wexford, Cork, Kerry, Galway, Donegal and Louth – intend to create 142 jobs between them, and hope to see a €44 million increase in the sales of seafood products thanks to this investment.

Minister Coveney said the investment demonstrates confidence in the sector as an area of high growth potential.

For more on this story, Tom McSweeney examines the benefits of the deal for Ireland's marine sector in today's edition of This Island Nation.

#FISHING - Minister for the Marine Simon Coveney briefed the Irish Skipper Expo in Galway last weekend on a new initiative promoting the use of selective conservation fishing nets, which allow young fish to escape.

Under the initiative in the Celtic Sea, additional quotas of up to 25% will be made available by the minister to skippers of Irish fishing boats which use an escape panel in their nets, allowing young whiting and haddock to escape.

The escape panel, developed by the Irish industry, has been endorsed at EU level and is expected to be a mandatory requirement later in the year.

Minister Coveney said on Saturday: “The use of this panel will significantly reduce discards of juvenile whiting and haddock in the Celtic Sea, allowing juvenile fish to grow and mature and contribute to increased stock size and returns for fishermen in future years.

"I believe that this offers an example of a practical approach to dealing effectively with the discards problem and retention of a flexible quota allocation system that we should take forward in the context of the Common Fisheries Policy Review."

In other news, Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) announced €1.5 million in grant aid for the Irish fishing industry at the expo.

A spokesperson for BIM confirmed to the Galway Independent that the funding will be available to industry through a variety of schemes including fleet safety, seafood environmental management, lobster V-notching and coastal action groups.

Over 100 companies displayed their products and services to fishermen at the Irish Skipper Expo International 2012, held at the Galway Bay Hotel on 24-25 February.

#NEWS UPDATE - Minister for the Marine Simon Coveney has launched a public consultation process on harnessing the potential of Ireland's vast marine resources.

Our Ocean Wealth is calling for input into how Ireland can best capitalise on the trillion-euro global market for marine products and services, from seafood and tourism to shipping, oil and gas, renewable ocean energy and marine science.

Launching the consultation, Minister Coveney said: "We need to change the way we in Ireland think about the sea and look for new opportunities to harness the potential of our 220-million-acre marine resource.

"This government is determined to generate the momentum to drive forward a new era of sustainable economic development across the maritime sectors - we must avail of these opportunities to assist in our recovery. We want your help to shape our plan, to shape our future and to assist in our drive towards our nation's economic recovery."

The consultation process is a step towards developing an Integrated Marine Plan for Ireland intended to grow the percentage of GDP generated by the country's marine resource, which covers an area 10 times the size of Ireland's land mass.

The minister added: "We need an Integrated Marine Plan to harness our ocean wealth, get the environment right for investment and use the potential of our marine economy to create jobs in a sustainable manner."

The consultation phase will be open until 31 March with an aim to publish the Integrated Marine Plan during the summer. For more details visit www.ouroceanwealth.ie.

#FISHING - Seafood lovers of Cumbria in north-west England have been urged to broaden their tastes to save depleted stocks of their favourite fish in the Irish Sea.

According to the News & Star, some 80% of Britons "insist upon eating just five types of fish – cod, tuna, salmon, prawn and haddock."

But the Cumbria Wildlife Trust says that with coastal waters facing the serious threat of overfishing, a rethink is needed among both consumers and suppliers alike.

“The Irish Sea has a wide range of edible fish species but you wouldn’t know it judging by the fish counters in supermarkets across the county," says Lindsay Sullivan of the trust's Wild Oceans project, an 18-month scheme that hopes to "turn the tide for seafood".

A big part of this is encouraging consumers to skip the usual white fish and try different species such as flounder, monkfish and red mulllet, creating demand for cheaper and more sustainable fishing.

The News & Star has more on the story HERE.

#TOURISM - Winter might be upon us, but it's a great time to plan a new year holiday in Ireland on the sea, according to the UK's Daily Echo.

From night-time paddling in with renowned kayaking instructor Jim Kennedy, to snorkelling in Baltimore, relaxing in Skibbereen and and fresh seafood lunches in Kinsale, a vacation in Cork can appeal to any taste.

Whale and dolphin watching is a big draw for the region, too, as Ireland's coast – the first cetacean sanctuary in Europe - plays host to a growing variety of species.

The summer feeding grounds off the southern coast are particularly busy, and tourist boats are often treated to whales breaching the surface and surrounded by dolphins putting on a show.

The Daily Echo has more on the story HERE.

#SEAFOOD–The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney, T.D., has today officially named and formally opened the new National Seafood Centre at Clogheen, Clonakilty, Co. Cork. The Centre is a co-located 'one stop shop' for the Seafood related functions of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority and BIM's Business Innovation and Seafood Product development activities.

The UN estimates that the world will need an extra 42 million tonnes of seafood every year from 2030. The Minister said "my Department, the public servants working in this new facility and I are committed to making sure that every effort is made to position Ireland to take full advantage of the enormous opportunities we see for expanding the Seafood Sector in Ireland". The Minister added that he "is focussed on firstly moving away from selling 85% of our seafood production in commodity form and instead developing new high value processed seafood products in Ireland. Secondly, I want to attract a higher percentage of the near one million tonnes of seafood caught around Ireland to be landed into Ireland and serviced from Ireland. Thirdly, I am focussed on significantly expanding and developing sustainable Aquaculture in Ireland. I want this expansion to be in traditional fin fish and shellfish farming but also I am taking new initiatives to drive on new large scale deep water aquaculture which I see as a game changer in terms of Jobs and economic activity for our aquaculture industry and coastal communities".

This National Seafood Centre is being opened at a time of great challenge for Ireland but great opportunity for the seafood sector as a whole. Minister Coveney stated that "the Seafood Sector is very important to Ireland and holds a key to economic recovery and employment in many coastal areas and coastal communities from Greencastle in Donegal right around to Carlingford in Louth. Contrary to some people's perceptions, this is an industry for the future and in my view we have only begun to tap into the potential of the Seafood Sector in Ireland. Irish Seafood exports increased in value, in 2010 relative to 2009, by 14 % to €378m. In the first seven months of this year they are up by a further 10% relative to the first seven months of 2010".

This National Seafood Centre is a bespoke design by the Office of Public Works (OPW) to meet the specific needs of these organisations and the functions and services being delivered from the building. The idea of co-locating all of the State seafood industry related services in one building is designed to improve co-ordination, and maximise the sharing of expertise in order to enhance development of the Seafood Industry in Ireland. The Centre incorporates the State's first dedicated facility for the development of new high value seafood products and presentations and this facility has had 330 large medium and small Seafood Processing companies through its doors since opening and has been associated with the development of new seafood products accounting for sales of €10m to date and growing. At present there are 140 people directly employed in the Centre many of whom have relocated from Dublin and other parts of Ireland to the area thus adding to the economic viability of the Clonakilty area.

The Minister added "the new National Seafood Centre is testament to the Government's commitment to developing the Seafood Industry in Ireland and the work done at this Centre will be central to realising the potential of our Seafood sector". Minister Coveney concluded by congratulating all involved in bringing this Centre into being before unveiling the naming stone for the new National Seafood Centre and officially opening the building.

Angus Vajk (22) a biology undergraduate from Dunbeg, near Oban, Argyll, is heading for Galway in Ireland this weekend to take part in the Bollinger World Oyster Opening Championships on 24th September.

Son of oyster farmers Hugo and Judith Vajk of Caledonian Oysters, Angus won the Loch Fyne Scottish Oyster Opening Championships in Glasgow last month, beating a dozen other competitors including his father!

"I have been opening oysters since before I could walk," he quipped, as he accepted a prize plate from Virginia Sumsion, Marketing and Events Director of Loch Fyne Oysters. "I am thrilled to have won, and excited about going to the world championships, but it will be daunting being up against so many experts. I will be putting in a lot of speed practice this week!"

Part of his prize was a trip to Galway to enjoy the annual international oyster and seafood festival, but Angus had to wait for the organisers of the world competition to confirm that his opening time of 4 minutes 5 seconds for 30 oysters was good enough to allow him to compete there.

"Angus was a worthy winner and we are delighted to sponsor his entry in the worlds. We hope he will do well and bring the cup back home!" said Virginia Sumsion.

Seafood Scotland, which helped to organise the Scottish competition at the Glasgow Riverside Festival, also wishes Angus the very best of luck. "This is the first time ever that the world oyster opening championship has had a Scottish competitor, so it is an honour for Angus to fly the flag for his country," said Marketing Manger Clare Dixon.