John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)

I welcome the invitation to address the Seanad on the subject of aquaculture. I wish to avail of the opportunity to advise the House of the current state of the industry, its prospects for the years ahead and the action required if we are to ensure that its potential for further sustainable growth and development is to be achieved.

Aquaculture worldwide has undergone considerable expansion and development over recent decades. Growth since 1990 has been of the order of 10% per annum and the Food and Agriculture Organisation's 2002 report, State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture, indicates that aquaculture is growing more rapidly than any other animal food sector. Production, including aquatic plants, is estimated by the FAO to have reached over 45 million tonnes in 2000.

Like the industry worldwide, Irish aquaculture has undergone extensive change and expansion over recent decades. If we look back to 1979, production in that year is estimated to have been of the order of 4,000 tonnes and was made up in large part of native oysters, bottom-cultivated mussels and trout. By 2002, however, production had increased to some 62,000 tonnes, valued at €117 million. Some 90% of this production was exported. This is equivalent to 1,600 full-time jobs in the industry.

In 2002, production comprised 38,000 tonnes of shellfish, valued at €30 million, and 24,000 tonnes of finfish valued at €82 million. Shellfish production has seen the emergence of new areas of production, including rope cultivation of mussels as well as Pacific oysters. Finfish production now consists primarily of the farming of Atlantic salmon.