Leading Journal of the Irish & UK Fishing Industries

The countdown is well and truly underway to the Irish Skipper Expo 2023, with the much-loved event due to take place a month earlier, from Friday 24th February to Saturday 25th February.

With the motto, ‘Your Industry, Your Show’, the team at The Skipper continuously seek to improve the show experience for all involved, and following close consultation with visitors and exhibitors, the new dates were selected to reflect the right tides and season.

While the 2022 show marked a hopeful return to normality, the lingering effects of the Covid 19, which had experienced a huge surge in cases leading up to the event, undoubtably made its mark on the attendance – a factor which will hopefully be in the shadows as we look into the future.

As the anticipation now builds towards February 2023, and with over 80 exhibitors already confirmed, several exciting announcements have been made that will add to the buzz of the event.

The welcome return of the Show Reception on the Friday evening will bring exhibitors and guests back together in a social setting to enjoy a seafood reception and live music at the Kilmurry Lodge Hotel.  With many exhibitors and visitors expressing that they missed the event in 2022, we look forward to organising the complimentary evening once again as a celebration of the Irish Fishing Industry.

As well as this, many visitors requested further emphasis on the inshore and aquaculture sector, and the announcement that the IFA Aquaculture’s annual conference and AGM will take place at the Kilmurry Lodge Hotel on the eve of the show will be welcomed by all. In addition, the confirmation of more inshore exhibitors, including Fairwater Fishing, will add to the variety of the event.

Water safety has always been a huge focus at the Irish Skipper Expo, and new exhibitors, Errigal Training Centre, will add a new dimension to this. Specialising in training for renewables, wind Energy, maritime & offshore oil & gas industry, they are Ireland’s first GWO accredited safety training facility.

As the show continues to diversify, Sharon Boyle, Commercial Fishing Manager explains, “while the Irish Skipper Expo is a business event, it is also a fantastic event for the entire family to enjoy together.