Photos: Marie Keating
The highly anticipated Irish Skipper Expo 2025 opened its doors last month at the UL Sports Arena in Limerick. This year’s event proved to be the largest yet, with over 140 exhibitors from 13 countries, including Ireland, Scotland, England, France, Turkey, Poland, Denmark the Netherlands, Newfoundland, America, and China displaying over the two days.
The Expo was officially opened with a welcome speech by new Minister of State with responsibility for Fisheries, Timmy Dooley TD,and was kindly supported by our main sponsors BIM, Ireland’s Seafood Development Agency and leading marine insurer Arachas, and the event saw exhibitors from across all sectors of the fishing industry aiming to make new contacts and clients.
The show proved to be a well attended event offering visitors and customers a wide range of commercial fishing gear and products, from shipyards to marine electronics, deck machinery, trawl gear and creels, as well as catch handling systems, insurance services and offshore wind energy companies.
A number of vessels were on display in the outside arena, giving visitors the opportunity to see, at first-hand, some of the latest fishing vessel designs on the market including models from G. Smyth Boats, (Maxcat) Kenbro Boats, Ryan and Roberts, and Audacious Marine. Alongside these were The Irish Coastguard and BIM’s Coastal Training Unit. Inside, O’Sullivan’s Marine also displayed another vessel.
Speaking to The Skipper after officially opening the Expo, Minister Dooley outlined some his priorities this year
“Firstly thank you very much for the invitation to open this year’s Irish Skipper Expo. I am delighted to have the opportunity to attend.
While this is my first ‘Skipper Expo’ as Minister of State with special responsibility for fisheries and as Minister of State with special responsibility for the marine, I am well aware that, over the years, the ‘Skipper Expo’ has become a focal point of the fisheries and seafood calendar; and this year is no different.
I understand that this year, the Irish Skipper Expo celebrates its 19th year. I would like to congratulate everyone involved in its organisation on that achievement. In an age of increasing digitisation and online participation, it is no small feat to be able to continuously attract such strong stakeholder engagement and such a diverse range of participants.
The diversity of exhibitors is quite impressive and I am pleased that this year’s event is once again sponsored by my Department’s seafood development agency – Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) – and funded through my Department’s Seafood Development Programme.
At last year’s Skipper Expo, Ireland’s Seafood Development Programme, the EMFAF Operational Programme, was launched and I am pleased to note that over the past year a total of €13.6 million was awarded by BIM to beneficiaries under EMFAF schemes.
I also think it’s important to note that, in 2024 alone, beneficiaries in the Irish fishing fleet were awarded some €5.5 million in grant aid. This represents an unprecedented level of aid to the fleet in a single year under our cohesion funding programme and implementation of EMFAF will continue in 2025.
This year a scheme to support community-led local development, implemented with the assistance of the seven Fisheries Local Action Groups (FLAGs), will be opened. A scheme for producer organisations, a knowledge gateway scheme to support research activities, and a scheme to support innovation in the seafood sector will also be opened in 2025.
The capital investment grant aid schemes for seafood processing and aquaculture are also expected to reopen for applications in 2025.
On aquaculture, the National Strategic Plan for Sustainable Aquaculture Development (NSPSA), a key aspect of Ireland’s Seafood Development Programme, was also launched last year. I am pleased to say that an Implementation Steering Group has been established by my Department to oversee implementation of the NSPSA, (National Strategic Plan for Sustainable Aquaculture), which will support the progression of this important work.
Over the coming years, my Department will continue to oversee the implementation of the Seafood Development programme to ensure it helps to achieve its aim of sustainable fisheries, conserving marine biological resources, promoting food security and a sustainable blue economy.
And yet, while Ireland is recognised as food security strong, as Minister of State with responsibility for the marine, I am aware of the need for co-existence between all our maritime operators if we are to achieve energy security alongside food security. At the same time, I fully recognise the importance of Ireland’s fishing sector as custodian of the sea and as primary food producers that are dependent on certain marine areas for seafood production.
I understand that any proposed energy activity must be informed by intensity of fishing and aquaculture activity. In that context, Ireland’s ORE sector and other sectors, need to continue to work constructively and closely with our seafood sector to ensure that any adverse impacts are avoided, minimised or mitigated, in that order.
I would like to reiterate the principle of co-existence I mentioned at the Seafarers Conference, as a means of navigating Ireland’s seafood and ORE ambitions. In my dual roles of Minister of State with special responsibility for fisheries and as Minister of State with special responsibility for the marine, I am committed to meaningful stakeholder engagement on this and other issues impacting the seafood sector.
I believe my dual roles ideally position me to lead on the constructive dialogue and cooperation that is needed to achieve the aim of co-existence. I am determined to deliver co-existence that supports tangible, sustainable, benefits for our coastal communities, as well as the protection of our marine environment through the development of a network of Marine Protected Areas, in line with the Programme for Government.
I would like to mention the inaugural Irish Fishing Sustainability Awards being presented at the show. These awards highlight the importance of sustainability across the seafood sector. It goes without saying that supporting the sustainability of the seafood sector is essential if we are to support the vitality of our coastal communities, if we are to support generational renewal in the fishing sector, if we are to support productive fisheries and if we are to support healthy ecosystems.
But sustainability is achieved through action. So, I would like to congratulate all recipients of the Sustainability Awards for going above and beyond to deliver sustainability. Your efforts deserve recognition.
Finally, as I take a walk about the Expo, I look forward to meeting with as many exhibitors and stakeholders as I can here. Indeed, as Minister, I am committed to constructive engagement with all maritime stakeholders.”
Two new additions to this years Expo were the inaugural Irish Fishing Sustainability Awards and the Seafood Tasters provided by NIFA/NIFO. The Irish Fishing Sustainability Awards were presented to 5 recipients who gone above and beyond to secure a future for our industry and it is hoped to continue this event on an annual basis. Inshore fishermen proudly represented their sector at the Seafood Tasters stand and the selection of fresh Lobster, Crab and Mackerel dishes went down a storm with visitors and exhibitors alike.
The Expo proved to a great place to do business, as well as providing the ideal venue for the fishing industry to network and socialise. A relaxing evening reception was held at nearby The Terrace at the Arena, kindly supported by SeaQuest Systems, Mooney Boats and G. Smyth Boats, where guests could unwind and relax after a busy day doing business.
The Skipper would like to thank all visitors & exhibitors for their continuing support at this year’s Expo and we hope to see many of you shortly at next year’s Scottish Skipper Expo in Aberdeen in early May 2026.
