Dublin pulls together buyers and exhibitors for inaugural Irish Seafood Expo Irish pumping cash into seafood exports growth Kit Davies, Dublin Ireland is making the UK a priority as it forges ahead with a major five-year plan to boost its seafood exports by more than 50%. The government is pumping 230 million euros into the development of the sector under its National Development Plan up to 2006. As part of this aquaculture volumes are set to double. The inaugural Irish Seafood Expo in Dublin this week attracted some 160 buyers from 22 countries and featured 60 suppliers. Key selling points are quality and health benefits, with the Irish Sea Fisheries Board (BIM) extolling the "unspoilt pristine" waters of its Atlantic coastline. Frank Fahey, minister for the marine and natural resources, said: "We haven't exploited our opportunities in the UK to anything like the level we could have done in the past. Changes now taking place, such as more modern methods of logistics, mean we have significant potential to increase our percentage of the UK market." BIM chairman Pat Ridge added: "We haven't had a winner in value added or processed yet in the UK. But in other product areas Ireland has produced winners in international markets. "I tell you this: in the next five years we will have a winner in value-added/processed in the UK." Tesco's arrival in Ireland had opened up a brighter prospect for meeting the demands of the UK multiples, as Ireland's small seafood companies were learning how to cope with centralised distribution. The government wants to see a smaller number of larger companies better equipped to sell into international markets. Most Irish seafood firms are small and located in remote coastal areas. BIM market development manager Helen Brophy said: "It is true we found it differnet in the past due to different structures and we were more focused on wholesale rather than retail. But now the UK is a priority." Overall Irish seafood exports in 2000 rose 7% to 216,027t in volume, with value up 15% to I£261m. Star performers were salmon (up 21% in value), shellfish (up 7%) and pelagic (mackerel/ herring/ tuna). l See page 24 {{NEWS }}