The fun filled and free ‘SeaFest’ family day follows ‘Our Ocean Wealth’, a high level conference on the 10th to discuss the potential of the marine sector in Ireland. With total seafood sales generating in excess of €850 million annually and the demand for Irish seafood worldwide on the increase, seafood is an industry with significant potential. With Irish people consuming only 21kgs of seafood per annum in comparison to 34kgs in France and a staggering 70kgs in Japan, we are behind not only in terms of buying frequency but also in the variety of fish species we eat. The BIM/Bord Bia ‘Food from the Sea’ showcase will demonstrate the variety of species available in Ireland and with a few simple tips, will show how easy fish is to prepare and cook at home. Seafood cookery demonstrations from celebrity TV chefs’ Martin Shanahan and Rory O’Connell and demonstrations from expert fishmongers including BIM’s Young Fishmonger of the Year (Gerard Collier from Fisherman’s Catch, Clogherhead, Co. Louth) are sure to draw a crowd with a range of delicious seafood recipes, filleting techniques and tastings of locally sourced seafood available throughout the day. BIM will have a large seafood display counter to showcase the huge variety of fish and shellfish species available in Ireland. There will also be an opportunity for visitors to sample and purchase seafood products from 11 Irish Seafood Companies