To meet the increasing market demand for Irish organic farmed salmon, the Irish Seafood Board (BIM) aims to facilitate the development of three deep sea salmon farms. It is expected that each farm will be capable of producing 15,000 tonnes of Irish organic farmed salmon annually.
BIM reports that there is currently high demand for Irish organic salmon.
The first farm will be located off the west coast of Ireland, further out to sea than existing salmon farms in an area with very high water exchange rate.
A comprehensive EIA will be submitted with the licence application to the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in early 2012.
When in full production the proposed fish farm will generate full time direct employment for approximately 350 people in rearing the juvenile fish, working on the farms and in processing and transporting the product to market.
A further 150 jobs indirectly in providing netting, fish feed, transportation and other services to this farm will also be created. An annual wages flow of €14.5 million per annum, much of which will find its way straight into the local economy in the vicinity of the farm.
At today’s prices 15,000 tonnes of organic grade Irish salmon is worth €102 million to the market every year. The majority of the fish produced will be for export markets.
Deep Sea Salmon Farming To Meet Demand
IRELAND - A new project looking at deep sea fish farming aims to increase organic salmon production to meet market demand and create jobs.
