Shellfish

Recognised for their exceptional quality, Irish shellfish come from the clear, cold Atlantic and are brought to market in the finest condition.  During 2023, the value of shellfish exports was around €173 million or 31% of total Irish seafood exports.

Langoustines 

Langoustines are Ireland’s most valuable shellfish export and the annual quota for this species is around 8,500 tonnes. Ireland’s most important export markets for this species are Italy, Spain and France. Formats include frozen at sea and land frozen and a range of grades and pack sizes are available.

Crab

Irish crab is a non-quota species in high demand worldwide with the main export markets including France, Spain and China. Around 7,000 tonnes of crab is landed by the Irish fleet annually. A range of formats are available including whole; half shell, claws and crab meat in a range of grades and packaging types. Customers can source Irish crab live, fresh, pasteurised or frozen.

Whelk

Sweet, yet tangy, whelks are sourced through traditional, low impact methods. Over 4,000 tonnes of Irish whelk are harvested and exported throughout the year to markets including Japan, South Korea, China and France.

Oysters

Our famous oysters grow in shallow coastal locations with plankton-rich tides, delivering the highest quality meat in classic tear-drop shells. Ireland produces around 11,000 tonnes of premium oysters each year. The main export markets for Irish oysters are France, China and the UK.

Mussels

Ireland produces around 11,600 tonnes of rope mussels and 5,500 tonnes of sea bed cultured mussels annually from a range of locations around the Irish coast. More than 50% of Irish rope mussels are certified to the EU Organic mussel standard and Irish mussels are also certified to MSC.