Fishing for salmon farming consensus in Ireland
Wild capture fisheries landed 93.4m tonnes globally in 2014, a figure that has remained stable over 25 years. During the same time, global per capita demand for seafood has risen from 14 to 20 kg per person. To meet demand, aquaculture – which now provides more than half of all seafood destined for human consumption – has intensified. In Ireland, salmon aquaculture has been cited as a growth area, with government estimates suggesting a 78% increase in farmed salmon production by 2020 is possible. Such growth carries concomitant environmental and socioeconomic impacts, and stakeholders have mobilised from all sides to voice their priorities.