Why is Fish so Expensive in Ireland?

ICE HOUSE · 20-02-2012 2:51pm #1

Seriously I cant get my head around this

We are an island surrounded by water yet to buy a small piece of fish in a shop or restaurant costs a small fortune.
Ive travelled a fair bit of the world an even the most landlocked water barren countries sell fish at a fraction of a cost of here.
Anyone know the reason for this?

danniemcq · 20-02-2012 2:52pm

i'm guessing its something to do with the spanish?

something about selling our rights so we have less to fish in?

i could be completly wrong though.

But you could say that about an awful lot of stuff in this country, we get our wallets raped everytime you go shopping.

Tesco Massacre · 20-02-2012 2:52pm

Imigants.

chin_grin · 20-02-2012 2:53pm

Wait wait wait wait wait...........we're an island? :eek:

stovelid · 20-02-2012 2:54pm

It's one of the things that's really piscine me off about this plaice.

smash · 20-02-2012 2:54pm

Because of the dumb commercial fishing laws we have here regarding quotas and waste.

Nothingbetter2d · 20-02-2012 2:54pm

ICE HOUSE wrote: »

Seriously I cant get my head around this
We are an island surrounded by water yet to buy a small piece of fish in a shop or restaurant costs a small fortune.
Ive travelled a fair bit of the world an even the most landlocked water barren countries sell fish at a fraction of a cost of here.
Anyone know the reason for this?

fish is so expensive because the mark up on it is so high.

most fishermen get feck all profit from a fish... its the wholesalers that buy it and sell it on that rip us off.

jester77 · 20-02-2012 2:55pm

ICE HOUSE wrote: »

Seriously I cant get my head around this
We are an island surrounded by water yet to buy a small piece of fish in a shop or restaurant costs a small fortune.
Ive travelled a fair bit of the world an even the most landlocked water barren countries sell fish at a fraction of a cost of here.
Anyone know the reason for this?

The fish doesn't swim to the shop, there are plenty of people to be paid on its journey to your plate!

Tesco Massacre · 20-02-2012 2:55pm

stovelid wrote: »

It's one of things that's really piscene me off about this plaice.

Listen to this man. He doesn't make fish puns just for the halibut.

mikemac1 · 20-02-2012 2:55pm

Foreigners are to blame for everything :mad:

The Spanish get the blame over this one

Stealing our fish and our wimmins

Nothingbetter2d · 20-02-2012 2:56pm

Tesco Massacre wrote: »

Listen to this man. He doesn't make fish puns just for the halibut.

sure it's all a cod anyways

Nothingbetter2d · 20-02-2012 2:57pm

mikemac1 wrote: »

Foreigners are to blame for everything :mad:

The Spanish get the blame over this one

don't be so crabby!

44leto · 20-02-2012 2:58pm

Quotas they are not allowed over fish so the demand for fish is always high.

Cod is rapidly becoming an endangered specie. if it is not already. I never thought I would see that day.

20-02-2012 2:59pm

Coz we've fished it all away and there isn't that much left and what's left is becoming rare and expensive.

Ghandee · 20-02-2012 2:59pm

Its not really that expensive tbh.

IMO one of the nicest pieces of fish you can get is Smoked Coley, you can pick up a huge piece of this (enough for 2 adults) for a couple of Euro in most places.

snubbleste · 20-02-2012 2:59pm

The fish caught in your bay goes to Spain and then flown here for your consumption.

Itsdacraic · 20-02-2012 3:00pm

:rolleyes:

A few witty characters with their "hilarious" puns
Typical of this plaice.

gbee · 20-02-2012 3:00pm

Ironically because we eat so little of it, wastage is a huge factor.

Also, unless a fishmonger goes to the auction himself and buys boxes of fish, the bulk of our fish is landed in Killybegs and sold to export to say, Scotland and is reimported through London and Dublin for re-distribution here.

Add in humongous factory ships from Russia and Japan and not a single 'Irish' fish is landed anywhere in Ireland for that particular fishing trip.

Born to Die · 20-02-2012 3:00pm

It is probably because they are so rare, breaded fish seems to be only a delicacy on these islands.

Sindri · 20-02-2012 3:02pm

smash wrote: »

Because of the dumb commercial fishing laws we have here regarding quotas and waste.

Exactly as smash says above. We have ridiculous quotas where after catching perfectly good fish, and after they are already dead, if below a cerain size, it has to be thrown back into the sea DEAD!:eek:

:mad:

It's ****ing European bureaucracy.

The Norwegians have a quota set on a certain quantity, so instaed of throwing perfectly good fish back into the sea dead, they just sail on home and sell it.

****ing revolutionary idea I know.:rolleyes::mad:

Park Royal · 20-02-2012 3:07pm

To be honest if you were to catch the fish yourself it would be a lot dearer...

fish is good food , the fish I purchase is good value.....

but thats me.....

you only need a small amount for a meal, 6 to 8 oz

and there is usually little or no waste if filleted ....

usually have fish two to three times a week....

normally Cod or Plaice....or a Thick Fish Chowder with mix fish pieces:

monkeypants · 20-02-2012 3:10pm

44leto wrote: »

Quotas they are not allowed over fish so the demand for fish is always high.

Cod is rapidly becoming an endangered specie. if it is not already. I never thought I would see that day.

If cod is becoming endangered, then the quota isn't working and need to be revised.

livinsane · 20-02-2012 3:16pm

Alot of great fish rarely ends up on restaraunt menus.

Ling tastes like Cod and Haddock

Flounder and Dab taste like Plaice (all flat fish). Flounder is far superior in my opinion.

Gurnard is firm like Monkfish and can be used similarly

Next time you are in a fish market/shop, maybe enquire about these species as they may be cheaper than your cod/haddock.

Mackeral is extremely tasty and swarming our waters in summer. Any fool with a pound shop fishing rod could catch a few off the shore.

Yakult · 20-02-2012 3:17pm

It's just Ireland doing what it does best. Selling assets for a quick buck rather than reaping the rewards in the long run.

kylith · 20-02-2012 3:23pm

Go to Asian supermarkets. I think they buy straight off the boat and the prices are amazing.

A while ago I went to my local butcher/fishmonger and was charged €18 for 2 salmon darnes and 500g of pork mince. Going to the Asian supermarket i got 4 mackeral, 4 squid, a bundle of razor clams (which I've never seen in any fishmongers), and 6 prawns for about 7 quid.

Seafood in this country should be dirt cheap, and plentiful but for some reason people don't seem to want to eat anything but overpriced cod and salmon, and maybe an odd bit of trout. Ask them if they eat pollock or gurnard and they'll probably look at you like you've two heads.

saywhatyousee · 20-02-2012 3:24pm

Park Royal wrote: »

To be honest if you were to catch the fish yourself it would be a lot dearer...

fish is good food , the fish I purchase is good value.....

but thats me.....

you only need a small amount for a meal, 6 to 8 oz

and there is usually little or no waste if filleted ....

usually have fish two to three times a week....

normally Cod or Plaice....or a Thick Fish Chowder with mix fish pieces:

Not really i go out Fishing from Mullaghmore once or twice during the summer it cost 25 and that is all your rods and bait and 2.5-3 hours out at sea.
Last time i caught
2 cod
8 Cuckoo wrasse
14 Mackerel
Not bad for 25 euro and i sold one of the cod for 20 so it only cost me a fiver:D

gbee · 20-02-2012 3:25pm

livinsane wrote: »

Mackeral is extremely tasty and swarming our waters in summer. Any fool with a pound shop fishing rod could catch a few off the shore.

I believe you're allowed 8 Mackerel and they have been scarce for a couple of years already with small shoals and non predictable paths.

44leto · 20-02-2012 3:32pm

monkeypants wrote: »

If cod is becoming endangered, then the quota isn't working and need to be revised.

They are always revising them and never in the upwards direction. Tuna are also starting to show signs of been in trouble.

I heard a while ago that the Norwegians are experimenting with Cod farming in their Fjords. Seemingly farming Cod is not as straight forward as farming Salmon. But Ireland should get in on that act.

saywhatyousee · 20-02-2012 3:34pm

gbee wrote: »

I believe you're allowed 8 Mackerel and they have been scarce for a couple of years already with small shoals and non predictable paths.

Your having at laugh anytime time your out at sea all you have to do is cast your rod out 9 times out of ten there will be a mackerel at the end of it.

Stiffler2 · 20-02-2012 3:34pm

Fish isn't too expensive. you should be able to pick 1 up in coppers for about 3 fiddy

44leto · 20-02-2012 3:39pm

saywhatyousee wrote: »

Your having at laugh anytime time your out at sea all you have to do is cast your rod out 9 times out of ten there will be a mackerel at the end of it.

Yeah I have the same experience in Mullaghmore Sligo, I actually get bored catching them and usually put up the rod and sit back and enjoy the view.

Over there our real goal is to catch Mountbatten's boot.

loveisdivine · 20-02-2012 3:39pm

The quota's are there for a reason though. Just because fishermen always over catch and then complain that they have to throw dead fish back, doesnt mean we should increase the quota. It means we should look at different ways of fishing so we dont over fish and have to throw dead fish back. Then when cod etc have reached a suitable level again, we can maybe increase the quota till we get the right balance.

previous user · 20-02-2012 3:42pm

op, Lidl and Aldi do good deals on haddock, cod and coley fish.

smash · 20-02-2012 3:44pm

loveisdivine wrote: »

The quota's are there for a reason though. Just because fishermen always over catch and then complain that they have to throw dead fish back, doesnt mean we should increase the quota. It means we should look at different ways of fishing so we dont over fish and have to throw dead fish back. Then when cod etc have reached a suitable level again, we can maybe increase the quota till we get the right balance.

Quotas should be shared among ships. Which they're currently not. Also, if Bass can not be commercially fished by Irish trawlers, then foreign trawlers should be told to fúck off too, but they're not and they still come to exploit Irish waters.

saywhatyousee · 20-02-2012 3:46pm

previous user wrote: »

op, Lidl and Aldi do good deals on haddock, cod and coley fish.

The smoked coley they do in Lidl is a lovely piece of Fish

previous user · 20-02-2012 3:48pm

saywhatyousee wrote: »

The smoked coley they do in Lidl is a lovely piece of Fish

It is, I'm having some tomorrow for dinner

mikemac1 · 20-02-2012 3:49pm

Wasn't there some survey last year that Irish takeaways were serving all sorts of weird and wonderful fish when all you wanted was cod

Cheaper for them to buy and they would just pass it off

livinsane wrote: »

Ling tastes like Cod and Haddock

Flounder and Dab taste like Plaice (all flat fish). Flounder is far superior in my opinion.

Gurnard is firm like Monkfish and can be used similarly

I don't know what any of these new varieties are

I'll stick to what I know

And I think this is the attitude of lots of customers

livinsane · 20-02-2012 3:49pm

gbee wrote: »

I believe you're allowed 8 Mackerel and they have been scarce for a couple of years already with small shoals and non predictable paths.

First I've heard that, I find they are almost a pest when fishing. I will say that they used for bait just as much as for food. They are one fish you would never throw back in cos if you're not going to eat it, you're going to use to it catch something that you will. Most serious anglers would probably stock a freezer full to keep them going as bait over the winter.

Must look into that fact.

gbee · 20-02-2012 3:50pm

smash wrote: »

Quotas should be shared among ships. Which they're currently not. .

After years of 'dangerous fishing' the in the Bearing Seas, when quotas were open for a period of time depending on how fast the quota was landed, this share basis has been pretty successful since it's introduction on the last five or so years.

44leto · 20-02-2012 3:52pm

A French girl asked me once, why do you Irish not eat more fish?

I don't know why, a lot of Irish don't even like it, me included, I eat Cod and that's about it.

Cardinal Richelieu · 20-02-2012 3:53pm

Most of the Irish catch is exported, hard to buy fresh herrings because most is exported to Spain were it commands better prices. A huge amount of less eaten seafood like razorbills is exported to Asia too.

ScumLord · 20-02-2012 3:55pm

It's all the catholic churches fault we don't eat much fish.

44leto · 20-02-2012 3:57pm

ScumLord wrote: »

It's all the catholic churches fault we don't eat much fish.

I thought they encouraged it, apparently some of the apostles were fishermen, so agreed to follow Jaysus new church only if fish on friday became a commandment.

Logical Fallacy · 20-02-2012 3:59pm

chin_grin wrote: »

Wait wait wait wait wait...........we're an island? :eek:

"For your crimes you are being sent to Monster Island...but don't worry, that's just a name."

*later, being chased by monsters* "I thought they said it was just a name!!!!"

"What they meant is Monster Island is actually a Peninsula".

ScumLord · 20-02-2012 4:01pm

44leto wrote: »

I thought they encouraged it, apparently some of the apostles were fishermen, so agreed to follow Jaysus new church only if fish on friday became a commandment.

Eating fish became a more of a penance.

44leto · 20-02-2012 4:04pm

ScumLord wrote: »

Eating fish became a more of a penance.

I see so it backfired on them.

Actually that is interesting, IMO eating fish is a penance.

muracan · 20-02-2012 4:12pm

I have worked in the fish business all my life.Some of the comments on here are misinformed and comical to say the least!
I also work in a fish shop in West Cork.
If anyone wants to pm me I will direct them and give them a good deal!:D

Firstly fish is not all landed in Killybegs,virtually no whitefish is landed there,mostly pelagic fish ie mackerel, scad, herring and bluewhiting.

Secondly most of the whitefish is caught off the south coast (Dingle, Castletownbere, Union Hall Schull Kinsale and Ballycotton)with a certain amount off the North (Greencastle) East (Howth and Clogherhead) Southeast (Dunmore East and Kilmore Quay) .

Some boats concentrate mainly on prawns, others on Monkfish , others on Spanish fish (megrims and hake).The Irish market is a tiny compared to the continent.Also the prices are far better there too.

Just a small calculation for you, when you fillet fish your yield varies per species.A fish for example, fillets out at about 50%. ie you throw away 50% of the weight of the fish so if the fisheman was paid 3 euros per kg for the whole fish the filleted price therefore would be 6 euros per kg.There are then the overhead costs, transport,packaging, labour, ice etc to be added on plus a small profit margin to be added so even "cheap" fish can be made dear very easily!

I hope this helps! By the way meat is getting expensive too!

Markcheese · 20-02-2012 4:15pm

I'm in cork and there's plenty of choice at reasonable price, enough for 3 to 4 people ( hake, haddock, ling,plaice,ect)
Good fishshop Carrigaline
Two fish mongers in Mahon Thursday Market
Cornmarket st. sat morning market
Mallow friday morning farmers Market

Good luck .

Nothingbetter2d · 20-02-2012 4:15pm

muracan wrote: »

I hope this helps! By the way meat is getting expensive too!

damn right it is.... have you seen the price of a rack of lamb? :eek:

Solair · 20-02-2012 4:19pm

It's mostly because the Irish and the Brits have a weird dislike of fish. I am not entirely sure what the reason for this is, there must be some sociological explanation.
It's not down to just the Catholic Church fish on friday thing either, as the same mentality persists in the UK. Until quite recently the average working-class British home only consumed fish in the form of Fish and Chips or Fish Fingers. i.e. the most bland fish of all : Cod!

Most people still do not even distinguish between types of fish and say things like "I don't like Fish".

Where as they'd be far more accurate when telling you that they like pork or they hate beef.

However, the result of this is that the market for fish is relatively small in Ireland and in the UK. Small market means very limited economies of scale and high distribution costs, particularly for a very perishable good which needs constant refrigeration and rapid distribution to market, which results in very high fish prices.

Basically, we're just the two weird islands that don't eat fish!

I'd suspect that it's down to something like the feudal system banning people from fishing in the past which created a situation where there was no culture of eating fish or it died out.

Or, some association that fish was poor people's food.
For example, in Spain a lot of snooty people / social climbers wouldn't eat rice until quite recently as it was associated with poverty + disease. Paella was very much off the middle class menu until it was repopularised.

gurramok · 20-02-2012 4:24pm

Fish can be lethal to human health when not cooked properly(the ones that are supposed to be cooked!), perhaps its a reason of too much potential for food poisoning for the lack of takeup among the population?

Why is Fish so Expensive in Ireland?

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