Written answers
Thursday, 15 June 2006
Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources
Aquaculture Industry
2:00 pm
Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 27: To ask the Minister for Communications, Marine and Natural Resources the tonnage produced by the aquaculture industry here for each of the years 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002 and 2001; the tonnage produced in each of these years for the six main species grown; the size of the workforce directly involved in aquaculture here for each of the years since 2001; and the numbers of processing and ancillary workers in the industry. [23203/06]
John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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The Irish aquaculture industry has grown since the early 1970s to become an important contributor to the national economy. BIM supplied the following information using the data they collate on an annual basis in relation to employment figures and production volumes.
The total tonnage produced by the aquaculture industry from 2000 to 2005 is 302,007 tonnes. The breakdown per year for each of the years is as follows:
*2005 — 59,218,
2004 — 58,354,
2003 — 62,516,
2002 — 60,984
2001 — 60,935
The following table sets out the tonnage produced in each of these years for the six main species grown:
| Production in the Irish Aquaculture Industry 2001 to 2005 | ||||||
| Six Main Species: | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005* | Total 2001 to 2005 Tonnes |
| Salmon | 23,312 | 21,423 | 16,347 | 14,067 | 11,945 | 87,094.00 |
| Bottom Mussels | 22,793 | 24,000 | 29,976 | 28,560 | 30,600 | 135,929.00 |
| Rope Mussels | 7,580 | 7,699 | 9,313 | 8,755 | 9,200 | 42,547.00 |
| Gigas Oysters | 4,909 | 5,444 | 4,830 | 5,103 | 5,500 | 25,786.00 |
| Fresh Water Trout | 730 | 915 | 1,081 | 889 | 950 | 4,565.00 |
| Sea-reared Trout | 977 | 888 | 370 | 282 | 417 | 2,934.00 |
| Total six species | 60,301 | 60,369 | 61,917 | 57,656 | 58,612 | 298,855.00 |
| * Note: 2005 data is a provisional estimate. |
The following table sets out the size of the workforce directly involved in aquaculture here for each of the years since 2001.
| Workforce directly involved in aquaculture | |||||
| 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | |
| Full Time | 952 | 904 | 953 | 718 | Not Available |
| Part Time | 821 | 758 | 1,119 | 744 | Not Available |
| Casual | 1,190 | 720 | 564 | 474 | Not Available |
| Total | 2,963 | 2,382 | 2,636 | 1,936 | Not Available |
| Full Time equivalent | 1,553 | 1,398 | 1,603 | 1,166 | Not Available |
The numbers of processing and ancillary workers in the aquaculture industry is not available as employment data in seafish and aquaculture processing is combined and not generated separately. There are currently 130 fish processing companies in Ireland, employing a total of 3,500 people. These companies handle all seafish and a considerable amount of aquaculture produce, especially salmon and mussels.
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