Understanding the Value of Our Marine Industries and Our Vibrant Coastal Communities

Each month, an expert from the Marine Institute will shine a light on their area of work, sharing insights on our ocean knowledge. As the national agency responsible for supporting the sustainable development of our marine resources, the Marine Institute delivers evidence and scientific knowledge, expert advice and services to government, industry and a wide range of stakeholders.
Deirdre Frost of the Marine Institute’s Socio-economics team in the  Policy, Innovation and Research Services team highlights what the latest data indicate about Ireland’s ocean economy.

The Marine Institute’s Ireland’s Ocean Economy Report 2025 provides a picture of how Ireland’s marine industries contribute to national economic performance, and the diversity of our ocean industries.

The report assesses 13 industries that make up Ireland’s ocean economy, ranging from established sectors such as shipping, fisheries, and tourism to emerging areas like offshore renewables, ocean technologies, and marine biotechnology. 
In addition to the collection and analysis of primary data, the team engages with a range of state agencies on their data including BIM, Fáilte Ireland and the Central Statistics Office to understand industry specific features. There are also international comparisons so we can benchmark Ireland’s ocean economy with the EU blue economy. Consistent, comparable data across all these sectors is essential for effective national marine planning and governance.

Ireland’s ocean economy generates over €8.4 billion in turnover and €3.5 billion in GVA, supporting more than 49,000 direct jobs. When considering the indirect impact on the wider economy, the total contribution rises to €17.4 billion, with the industry providing employment for over 109,000 people. 

Ireland’s ocean economy is especially important to rural coastal communities, providing direct employment and wider indirect benefits to the local communities. Ireland’s coastal region accounts for 62% of Ireland’s population which includes the five cities. These coastal regions have a relatively young age profile, with over three fifths (60.5%) aged under 44 years.

Ireland’s seafood sector remains one of the most significant contributors within the ocean economy. Fisheries, aquaculture, and seafood processing combined, is the second largest sector in employment terms in Ireland’s Ocean Economy, accounting over 1 in 7 jobs. 

While traditional industries remain essential, the report emphasises the growth of emerging sectors such as offshore renewable energy, blue bioeconomy/ biotechnology, and advanced marine technology. 

The data presented in Ireland’s Ocean Economy Report 2025 is an important support for policy development across relevant government departments and stakeholders, providing evidence and long-term trends for changes in marine related activities. The data supports policy making and provides data to a wider audience on the trends occurring in Ireland’s ocean economy.

An interactive dashboard providing sector-by-sector detail is available on the Marine Institute’s website at www.marine.ie, offering accessible information for industry groups, community organisations, and policymakers.

This article first appeared in The Marine Times (January 2026).