Dates Announced – Irish Skipper Expo to take place on the 23rd & 24th February 2024

After what was hailed by many as ‘a successful Irish Skipper Expo’, the dates for the 2024 Irish Skipper Expo have been announced, with the event set to return to UL Sport Arena, Limerick on Friday 23^rd and Saturday 24^th February 2024.

The energy returned to the event this year after a tumultuous few years, with vibrant visitors queuing up in steady streams throughout the weekend, eager to check out the sell-out show. This year’s event saw a 27% increase on the overall number of visitors, but it was the enthusiasm and desire to look towards the future of the industry with optimism that was most impressive. 

With over 140 exhibiting companies from 15 different countries worldwide, the exhibition hall was filled with products and services of the highest quality and from across all sectors of the commercial fishing sector. As well as all of the returning exhibitors, many of whom have exhibited at every show since it began in 2005, this year’s Irish Skipper Expo also had 30 new companies exhibiting for the first time which added to the energy of the show.

First time exhibitor Noreen Veldman of Errigal Training Centre expressed her delight in her experience at the show saying, “The Skipper Expo was one of the best organised and efficiently run Exhibitions we have attended, from start to finish. From an exhibitors point of view, the show organisers were on hand to assist at all times, fantastic venue choice at UL Sports complex – accessible and spacious.”  

The Irish Skipper Expo prides itself as being a relaxed yet professional setting to conduct positive business in a face-to-face manner and this year’s event certainly lived up to that.

Sharon Boyle, Commercial Fishing Manager with show organiser’s Mara Media explained, “ We were thrilled by the number of exhibitors who visited the Skipper stand before the end of the event to express their delight in the show and their overall business success as a result. One exhibitor actually said that their company had taken so many orders at the event that it would keep them in business for the rest of the year.”

Exhibitor Mike Ruane also commented on the success of Ruane Maritime at the show stating, “We had an excellent show with great footfall and we already have confirmation of courses booked in as a result. We also found the show excellent for networking.”

‘Your Industry, Your Show’, remains as the motto for Ireland’s only commercial fishing show and the Irish Skipper Expo team were delighted to be able to fulfil many of the wishes set out by exhibitors and visitors last year.

Sharon further explained, “Selecting the right dates was our main priority for this year’s event and after close consultation with a number of fishermen and exhibitors, thankfully the end of February certainly did ‘reflect the right tides’. That is why we have decided to go with the same weekend in 2024.”

Another point made by a number of exhibitors was to use the show as a base for other industry events and this year marked the first time that two of the country’s leading marine conferences took place on the eve of the expo .

Both the IFA’s Annual AGM & Conference and the NMCI Seafarer’s Conference saw record numbers in attendance, with Teresa Morrisey of the IFA and Captain Brian Fitzgerald of Simply Blue Group remarking that arranging the events near the Irish Skipper Expo was a huge success.

The Skipper Team are currently reviewing the feedback from all visitors and exhibitors following this year’s show and look forward to making announcements that will further add to the overall show experience in the coming months.