Brexit and Covid - dual challenges for Irish aquaculture through 2020 Rory Campbell, Director of Seafood Technical Services, BIM
Shellfish exports That impact is particularly evident in oyster exports for the first half of 2020. On average, the volume of exports to France dropped by 62%, and exports to Asia were down almost 50%. In that same period, mussels experienced a decline of 15% when compared to 2019.
Rory Campbell
2020 has been a remarkably eventful year as the industry faced the dual challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and Brexit. 2020 was also the year I took on the role of Director of Seafood Technical Services at Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), a position previously held by Donal Maguire before his retirement. As you may note from my surname, I am not native to Ireland; however, I am no stranger to the seafood industry. I have worked my entire career to date in the fisheries and aquaculture sectors in Scotland.
At first glance, this might appear to be less severe than expected considering the effects of Covid 19 on the European foodservice sector. However, many operators began to harvest early in the year before the full impact of the pandemic hit Europe. France is the key export destination for mussels, accounting for 43% of export value in 2019. The impact in this marketplace is more pronounced with a drop
in export value of €2.7m, a decline of 21% on 2019 data. The composition of the Irish aquaculture industry played a part in lessening the severity of the impact of the pandemic. The majority of shellfish businesses are classed as micro-enterprises – meaning they have fewer than ten full-time employees. Of the 201 production units in Ireland, 179 are microenterprises. The advantage of these small businesses is their agility and ability to change business models to deal with changing marketplaces. However, it also means there is limited capital to weather the lack of sales in the short term. In addition to broader Government supports, BIM rolled out
a Covid-19 Aquaculture Support Scheme in December 2020, supported by the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund. The Scheme aims to assist viable aquaculture businesses impacted by low sales due to ongoing restrictions and lockdowns. The uptake of the Scheme was strong, with 151 applications received and approved. BIM administered a total payment of €1,228,157 to assist businesses’ recovery and contribute to the sustainable growth of production, value, and employment in the aquaculture sector in the years ahead.
Brexit From January 1st, we also had to contend with Brexit, which fundamentally altered
Joining BIM and moving to Ireland in the middle of a global pandemic has been challenging to say the least. However, my problems of travel restrictions, remote working and living in a virtual world of Zoom and Teams meetings are minor compared to the ongoing challenges the aquaculture industry in Ireland is facing as a result of the pandemic. 8
Aquaculture & Seafood Ireland
