Ireland's inshore marine resource is worth over £50 million annually, according to Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM) and the Central Fisheries Board (CFB).
The inshore sector comprises commercial fishing and sea angling within the 12-mile limit and is of great significance to coastal peripheral areas. However, many of these areas have not benefited from the national upturn in the economy, the boards state.
The future of the sector, and risks posed by over-fishing and over-development onshore, will be debated at a conference hosted by BIM and the CFB in Cork today.