Shellfish Ireland

“Shellfish Ireland’s strategy for growth is based on a long-term commitment to product quality and customer service. We are one of Ireland’s leading Seafood Processors in Domestic and International markets operating from our own state-of-the-art processing plant in Castletownbere, West Cork.”

In 1987, sitting in a kitchen in the small town of Castletownbere in the west of Cork, two young friends Richard Murphy and Peter O Sullivan had a keen interest in fishing and founded what would later become Shellfish Ireland. They used go fishing in the mornings, cooking and processing the catch in the afternoon and then delivering to the customers that evening “They were long days full of hard work, but we enjoyed the challenge”.

Sustainability

Shellfish Ireland play a leading role in protecting the long-term future of stocks through sustainability initiatives across their product range.

Fishery Improvement Projects

Fishery Improvement Projects provide a platform for fishermen, seafood buyers and suppliers to protect and improve a specific fishery by implementing a plan over a given time period.

Ireland has a National strategy to develop FIPS to ensure the long-term protection and development of their Fisheries.

Shellfish Ireland role in FIPs

Shellfish Ireland is one of the key participants in the Brown Crab FIP.

The company itself is fully involved in development and implementation of the Plan for Brown Crab

Lobster V notching program

The primary intention of the lobster V-notching method is to improve the sustainability of Ireland’s lobster stocks by protecting female lobsters so that they can breed a number of times.

V-notching involves manually removing a simple, V-shaped notch from the tail of a female lobster when first caught. Shellfish Ireland vessels are members of Irelands V-notching program.

Shrimp

All shrimp sold are caught in pots by inshore vessels observing closed seasons.