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IRISH PEOPLE ARE not very adventurous when it comes to fish. Most families around the country are probably digging into some salmon at some stage in the next few hours, given the day that’s in it.
So says Ken Ecock, the commercial director of seafood processor Oceanpath, a family-owned, Howth-based firm that supplies fish to SuperValu, Tesco, Dunnes Stores and other big supermarkets.
“In Ireland, we have a love affair with salmon,” he told Fora, noting that the pink fillets account for more than half of seafood sales here.
“It is the one thing that people remember growing up. It was probably nearly a delicacy then,” he said.
“Salmon became a lot more mainstream and it became a lot more affordable, so it appeared more on menus.”
While salmon is a big part of his own business, Ecock is on a mission to turn more people on to trout.
Partnership
Seven years ago, Oceanpath, which now employs more than 80 staff, partnered with Goatsbridge Trout farm in County Kilkenny to develop the then-underdeveloped trout market.
Mag Kirwan, co-owner of Goatsbridge, worked with Oceanpath’s Finglas factory, Dunn’s of Dublin, to develop a recipe for smoked trout and other products.
“We decided we would develop a simple product for our customers because one thing they are afraid of are bones in fish,” Ecock said. “Another thing people find difficult is price clarity, so we developed an individually priced, boneless trout.”
The partnership won Oceanpath and Goatsbridge the prize for innovation in seafood processing at the recent Bord Iascaigh Mhara national seafood awards.
Most trout in Ireland is imported from France and Spain. Ecock and the company had looked to switch consumers to home-grown produce through old-fashioned product demonstrations.
“I think once people taste something and like it they’re more inclined to buy it. We’ve also done various promotions with supermarkets, so special offers. When there’s value involved, people are more inclined to give something a go.”
The firm has also been partnering with retailers to improve the experience at the fish counter.
“We’ve been working on ways to get more people eating first through different concepts – ‘fish made easy’, ‘cook in bags’, and training fishmongers into being able to actually give hints and tips. A big part of growth is at point of purchase.”
Hard to innovate
However, Ecock said it is difficult to be innovative with a commodity like fish.
“We’ve found over the years that adding different flavours, when you stick with mainstream flavours that Irish people love, such as garlic – Irish people have a love affair with garlic. Generally, anything with garlic on it seems to go well.
“We are getting a little more adventurous ourselves, going down certain hot-and-spicy routes. People are getting into that type of thing.”
There’s another reason why Oceanpath has looked to dip into the trout market.
The biggest challenge for the firm is, unsurprisingly, sourcing raw materials, and this year was one of the most difficult years for sourcing salmon.
“I’ve called it the salmon crisis,” he said. “Prices are at their highest levels in 30 years.”
There were a number of reasons for the shortage, he explained.
“Chile was a major producer of salmon, but they had a massive wipeout of their stocks earlier this year. There’s also a missive increase in demand. Salmon is becoming more and more popular, so it’s the usual economics.”
He also said that Irish farmers have complained that the cost of production has gone up, so they have been forced to raise their prices.
Ecock added that as Christmas drew closer, things got worse because demand piques at this time of year, particularly for smoked salmon.
“Irish seafood, especially around Christmastime, has a very good reputation,” he said. “We have customers who have dealt with us for 30, 40, nearly 50 years in some instances, coming back every year.”
Skilled workers
One of the longer-term challenges in the fish business is getting enough skilled people into the industry.
“It’s a very traditional industry in Ireland,” Ecock explained. “A lot of the people would’ve gone into it because their family was involved. It’s very hard to attract people into it now.
“We have filleters who spend the day with their hand in ice-cold water, gutting fish. It’s cold; our factory is regulated below 12 degrees. It’s not the most comfortable of jobs.”
Ecock said that “it’s more of a vocation”, but added that “once you’re in fish, you’ll never leave”.
Written by Conor McMahon and posted on Fora.ie
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Israeli settlers? In the same way we have Russian settlers in Ukraine currently? Stop using the language of propaganda
@TheCraftyCulchie: Settler is surely the most accurate term no? They themselves would probably not like that term as they don’t view where they live as a settlement or occupied land (not saying I agree with their view). BTW the Russian Ukranian conflict is very different. Ukrainians have historically never threatened or tried to invade Russia as far I’m aware.
@TheCraftyCulchie: The comparison with Ukraine-Russia is not at all appropriate and misleads people away from the root cause of the conflict.
Ukrainians and Russian linguistically, culturally and religiously overlap, and this is at the heart of the conflict.
Russia has an inability to accept that Ukraine has developed an independent national identity and wants to chart its own course as an independent sovereign nation. The war is the process of Ukraine getting divorced from Russia. Russia argues Ukraine is not different or distinct enough to be independent, Ukraine disagrees. Russia wants Ukraine to remain within it historical sphere of influence, and use it as a buffer against the West.
It’s interesting to listen to old Russian people when asked, “why Russians protect the motherland in another country?”
Almost no one accepts that Russia is fighting abroad, Ukraine is Russia.
This stems from ancient history, not the Soviet Union. Russians, Belorussians and Ukrainians were one people c. 1500 years ago and Kyiv was their capital. Over the centuries their culture and languages diverged, so distinct nationalities emerged, particularly in the 1920-30s when early Soviet promoted regionalism. However, Russia under Putin effectively treats Ukraine a quasi-region of Russia populated by people who should not be Ukrainian, but a united “triune people comprising Velikorussians, Malorussians and Belorussians”.
“This Soviet national policy secured at the state level the provision on three separate Slavic peoples: Russian, Ukrainian and Belorussian, instead of the large Russian nation, a triune people comprising Velikorussians, Malorussians and Belorussians.” – Vladmir Putin
@David Jordan: 20% of what you say is true, but the rest is the view of Russian liberals. Ukraine had a distinct identity for centuries while defending agains Turks, Tatars, Poland and Russia. At that time they had a democratic system called Hetmanat, where a hetman was elected as a leader. One of those hetmans, Bogdan Hmelnitskiy signed the Pereyaslav treaty with Russia with codependency in defence at its core. However over decades through corruption and threats Russia was able to control what Hetman is elected and soon after slowly took over Ukraine claiming it as its territory. Then a multitude of assimilation projects started with Ukrainians being deported to far east and Taiga of Russian empire, being replaced by Russian + penalties on non adoption of Russian language and culture.
Occupiers, not settlers.
It’s funny how Israel does not demolish the homes of the Israeli’s who are involved in these killings…..
Sanction Israel like you do North Korea or Russia.
How many Israeli settlers were shot by Israeli troops during the rampage.
Answer 0.
Religion is a scourge on humanity
The Israeli people have a right to be there and a right to live their lives without the threat of violence against them
@Aidy McBride: so do the Palestinians but don’t let your one sided rant get sidetracked
@Aidy McBride: Warning…Genius at work!!!
For almost 60 years since The 6 Day War of 1967 Israel has been illegally colonising the captured Palestinian territory of that war. The West ( USA, EU and UK) turn a blind eye to this for 2 reasons..1. Feelings of guilt for having allowed or participated in The Holocaust.
2. Israel as a regional military superpower and an ally of The West protects vital oil supplies in a very unstable part of the world.
Things look very bad for the Palestinians who have only themselves to depend on if they are not to meet the same bitter end of other native peoples who were colonised.
As we in Ireland have Unionist settlers in Northern Ireland.
have your say