THE development of the Irish seafood industry has taken a big step forward with the opening of the country's first dedicated innovation centre.
With a floor space of 768 sq metres, the Bord Iascaigh Mhara’s (BIM’s) Seafood Development facility is based in Clonakilty, Co Cork.
Facilities include wet fish processing areas, business incubation units, a graduate laboratory, product development kitchen, and an innovation and product concept room, BIM’s Seafood Development Centre (SDC) will provide the fishing industry with a commercially focused innovation and new product development capability.
Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Tony Killeen highlighted the benefit of the facility for the seafood sector, saying: 'A greater focus on innovation will provide the Irish seafood sector with an opportunity to increase sales to key markets.'
He added: 'Our market share currently amounts to approximately one to four per cent in most EU markets where up to 70 per cent of fish consumed is imported from outside the EU where producers are operating with significant cost advantages. We need to compete effectively against this and this new facility will ensure that the sector will have the support and expertise available to it to assist in achieving its potential and develop innovative products to better meet the needs of discerning international trade and consumers.'
Irish seafood generates annual revenues in excess of €715m of which €334m represents valuable export sales to international markets including France, UK, Spain and Germany. Over a five-year period, this strategy aims to achieve €100m in additional value-added seafood sales.
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