Irish seafood exports to markets outside the European Union have nearly doubled over a two-year period, according to the 2025 Annual Report released by the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA).
Non-EU trade increased from 49,782 tonnes in 2023 to 88,809 tonnes in 2025, according to SFPA data.
Nigeria, Cameroon and China accounted for nearly two-thirds of international growth. Exports were largely made up of pelagic stocks including whiting and mackerel.
Trade with the UK also marked its first full calendar year under post-Brexit rules, requiring mandatory export health certificates for 4,738 tonnes of seafood across 1,385 separate consignments.
SFPA officers conducted more than two thousand physical inspections of fishing vessels in 2025, opening 78 sea-fisheries law enforcement cases and executing six vessel detentions alongside the Naval Service and European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA), according to the authority’s annual report.
SFPA Acting Chairperson Michael Finn says the workload has increased hugely as a result of Brexit.
“The operational demands on the SFPA continue to increase in line with regulatory changes and the trade requirements of the United Kingdom and other trading partners,” he said.
The authority has also increased food safety inspections, monitoring compliance across 2,288 food businesses.
SFPA investigated 37 seafood incidents, issuing eight compliance notices and initiating a criminal prosecution against a food operator for serious hygiene and traceability breaches.
“In a challenging climate for Ireland’s sea-fisheries and seafood sectors, the SFPA will focus on engaging positively with industry stakeholders and partners through open dialogue, positive communications, building partnerships and greater advocacy in the promotion of compliance, ” Michael Finn said.
Irish seafood exports grew significantly between 2023 and 2025. In 2025, the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA) certified 6,199 consignments (88,809 tonnes, 24 species) from 59 businesses to 45 non-EU markets. This builds on 2024, which saw 63,768 tonnes (26 species, 5,959 consignments) exported by 61 businesses to 46 non-EU countries. In 2023, exports stood at 49,782 tonnes (23 species, 3,802 consignments) from 44 businesses across 41 non-EU destinations.