Northern Irish eel fishery - new products for global markets

Eels from Lough Neagh in Northern Ireland, Europe's largest remaining wild eel fishery, are being developed into added-value products for international markets in a new business plan that aims to harness the economic potential of their EU Protected Geographical Indicator (PGI) status.

Lough Neagh Fishermen's Co-operative Society in Toome, county Antrim is investing over £400,000 in a new processing operation for the eels, which have long been exported live to processors outside Northern Ireland and are regarded as a delicacy in these markets.

The society has played a pivotal role in managing the fishery to conserve eel stocks and overall sustainability over the past 50 years. This has included investing over £3 million of its own funds in supplementary eel restocking, an indication of its commitment to securing a sustainable and viable future of the fishery.

Pat Close, the co-operative's chairman, commenting on the investment, says: "This is a very significant project for the society, our suppliers and the wider community from around the lough, the UK's biggest inland waterway, who are involved in the fishing industry.

"We have established a new processing facility for the preparation and vacuum packing of the eels for sale in Northern Ireland, Britain and other parts of Europe, where they've been popular with restaurants and with 'foodies' for over 40 years.

"We see this investment as the start of a process that will also result in the development of a distinctive Northern Irish eel brand and will include other added-value products for export.

"These projects will also help the society, a not for profit organisation, to secure new funding to enable us to continue to preserve what is the largest remaining wild eel fishery in Europe, one that's recognised internationally as a unique resource and is immensely important to local rural economy."

Lough Neagh Fishermen's Co-operative Society was formed in 1965 to manage the fishery and market the eels for the benefit of the co-operative's members and local fishermen. The co-operative, which currently employs 16 people, has long exported live eels to customers in London's Billingsgate Market, in the Netherlands and northern Germany for processing as smoked eel products.

Lough Neagh Eels gained EU PGI status in September 2011, the first for any food in Northern Ireland.

The investment by the society will help to ensure that the economic value of this unique natural resource continues to be developed sensitively and harnessed to the benefit of the business and the fishing families who supply the eels.