5.5 Fish Landings

The CSO’s most recently released data for fish landings is for the year 2021. Fish landings by Irish trawlers decreased by 5% between 2020 and 2021 from 217,981 tonnes to 206,068 tonnes. Landings by Irish vessels in Ireland fell by 3% or 6,259 tonnes. Landings by Irish vessels in foreign ports decreased by 19% or 5,655 tonnes. Landings by foreign vessels in Ireland decreased by 14% or 19,538 tonnes.

The highest level of landings by Irish vessels in Ireland during 2012-2021 was in 2012 when 249,205 tonnes were landed. The highest level of landings by Irish vessels in foreign ports during the same period was also in 2012 when 57,339 tonnes were landed. Approximately half of this (29,119 tonnes) was boarfish.

Figure from page 181

“

Fish landings by Irish trawlers

decreased by 5% between 2020 and 2021 from 217,981 tonnes to 206,068 tonnes.

Figure 5.3 Tonnes of fish landed by Irish vessels in Ireland and in Foreign Ports, 2012-2021

300

Thousands of Tonnes

250

200

150

100

50

0

2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021

Irish Ports Foreign Ports Total

Source: CSO

In 2021 the species with the largest quantities landed by Irish vessels in Ireland were Atlantic Mackerel (51,476 tonnes), Blue Whiting (36,769 tonnes) and Horse Mackerel (16,246 tonnes). Over the 2012-2021 period, Atlantic Mackerel and Lobster Norway have consistently been the two species with the highest value landings by Irish vessels in Ireland, a pattern continued in 2021 with Atlantic Mackerel valued at €60 million and Lobster Norway at €55 million.

Table 5.4 Landings by Irish Vessels in Ireland by Species 2012-2021 (Tonnage)

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

0 50 100 150 200 250 300

Atlantic Mackerel

Blue Whiting

Horse Mackerel

Sprat European

Boarfish Other

Source: CSO

Killybegs accounted for 55% (114,060 tonnes) of all landings by Irish vessels in 2021. Killybegs (89,276 tonnes) and Castletownbere (20,352 tonnes) were the ports with the highest tonnages landed by foreign vessels in Ireland.

In terms of tonnes landed by Irish vessels the busiest months were January to April and October to November. In 2021 approximately 66% of the catch landed by Irish vessels was between January and April. There was greater variability at species level e.g. 70% of landings by Irish vessels of blue whiting in 2021 took place in March, 58% of Atlantic mackerel occurred in January 2021, 58% of boarfish was landed in November and 63% of tuna albacore was landed in August.

Figure from page 183