Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 229: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the extent to which fish catches are landed and processed to the highest possible extent and value as a proportion of the total catch in Irish waters; the extent to which Irish trawlers or others are involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40042/11]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 230: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the total tonnage of fish landed at Irish ports in each of the past five years to date in 2011; the extent to which such landings were processed to higher value or exported otherwise; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40043/11]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 229 and 230 together.

The seas around Ireland (ICES Sub Areas VII and VI) contain some of the most productive and biologically sensitive areas in EU waters. Most of the fisheries resource within the area comes under the remit of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). The 2011 fishing opportunities (Total Allowable Catches, TACs) for the international fleets that operate in the waters around Ireland were 937,924 tonnes of fish, with an estimated landed value of €1.04 billion. This economic value is based on 2009 average prices and represent a conservative estimate. Ireland's share of these fishing opportunities represents 21% by tonnage and 17% by value. These values do not include the valuable inshore fisheries (e.g. lobster, whelk) which are not managed using internationally agreed TACs but do come within the remit of the CFP. The following table sets out details of landings supplied by the Sea Fisheries Protection Authority in Irish ports and the share of landings by Irish vessels:

Approximately 70% of fish landings into Irish ports are exported and the balance goes to the domestic market. In 2010, value added exports accounted for 42% (€159 million) of the total value of Irish seafood exports and bulk exports were valued at €219 million. The level of value adding varies by product group and market requirements. Food Harvest 2020 recognises the potential of the Irish processing sector to contribute to national income and job creation. It recommends that the share of catch being processed by Irish companies should be progressively increased, adding value in Ireland. I am committed to continuing the path set out in Food Harvest 2020 for the development of the seafood sector in Ireland. Food Harvest 2020 recognised that the processing sector was fragmented, lacking in scale, uncompetitive in terms of production costs, too focused on export of commodity products and constrained by inconsistent supply of raw material. BIM, with Enterprise Ireland and Údarás na Gaeltachta, is working to address each of these issues.

Grant aid support under the Seafood Processing Business Investment Scheme was provided in 2011 to improve competitiveness and help the companies concerned develop export markets for high value added products. Some 18 seafood processing projects with a total investment of €7 million were made through the scheme. These investments are expected to generate new sales of €32 million and 158 jobs in the seafood processing sector by 2014. BIM launched a new Seafood Value Adding Scheme in 2011 to support seafood companies with developing added value products. The scheme assists with concept development, including business planning, product development and packaging. Some 15 projects have been approved, covering testing, developing a range of new products, new packaging formats and development of high value by-products from primary processing. BIM's Seafood Development Centre has been open for two years. In that time, it has brought market-led seafood innovation and new product development to the forefront in the Irish seafood industry. The centre is working with over 330 large, small, and innovative start-up companies to develop Ireland into an international seafood leader. New product sales developed by the centre are estimated at approximately €10 million per annum to date and growing. The centre is also leading graduate placement and sustainable innovation through training programmes.