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Poll: How often do you eat fish?

Irish fishing boats are protesting today over the challenges their industry faces.

TODAY, IRISH FISHING BOATS are to form a flotilla protest at the entrance of Dublin Port to raise awareness of the challenges their industry faces, and poor working conditions.

Fishermen have been raising their concerns about their industry since a Brexit trade deal was signed before Christmas that was seen to seriously disadvantage the Irish fishing sector; and a recent EU ruling that means fish need to be weighed on piers.

The European Commission found that Irish authorities didn’t have a proper plan in place for weighing catches at factories, and that the weighing system was being manipulated by some, which means that fish now must be weighed quay-side – something that fishermen and women strongly object to.

So, today we want to know… How often do you eat fish? 


Poll Results:

Once a week or more (8301)
Once a month or so (2483)
Never (1405)
Every other month (963)

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51 Comments
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    Mute Jim Buckley Barrett
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    Jun 23rd 2021, 9:49 AM

    for an island country, our fish prices are through the roof.

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    Mute Cian Nolan
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    Jun 23rd 2021, 9:59 AM

    @Jim Buckley Barrett: Depends really. Mackerel, Haddock and Coley are pretty good value generally. I often find Salmon to be quite expensive though.

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    Mute A Bengal Tiger
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    Jun 23rd 2021, 10:00 AM

    @Jim Buckley Barrett: The frozen fish wrapped in plastic in Aldi isn’t expensive. Of course no Irish fishermen get a cent of that, and the real cost is shunted down the line and is ultimately manifested in the decline of fish populations worldwide. But, like, fish is pricey, yeah?

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    Mute Mark H
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    Jun 23rd 2021, 10:42 AM

    @Jim Buckley Barrett: Fresh good quality fish caught by local fishermen is worth paying al little extra for and is more sustainable than the supermarket pre-packed fish which can often come from the hige factory ships. I mean it is grand for a fish pie but it’s not fresh and if pan fried won’t taste as good or have the same texture.

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    Mute John Phelan
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    Jun 23rd 2021, 11:05 AM

    @Jim Buckley Barrett: funny thing is that in 1950s Ireland fish was for nothing, a dozen “whitening” in Moore Street was a shilling ( 1 p each ) , fish was seen as the poor families saviour. But then look at other food trends like belly of pork ( also a cheap source of protein then) in fancy restaurants now it will be up there with steak in the menu prices. Supply and demand gone crazy.

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    Mute Marty Lawless
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    Jun 23rd 2021, 11:24 AM

    @Jim Buckley Barrett: grab yourself a good rod nothing tastes better than a fresh trout

    25
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    Mute John Mulligan
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    Jun 23rd 2021, 11:24 AM

    @Jim Buckley Barrett: considering how hard it is to catch it, it’s very cheap.

    24
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    Mute Robert Conneely
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    Jun 23rd 2021, 11:55 AM

    @Jim Buckley Barrett: Very true, the issue is most of the money goes to the dealer/fishmonger not the fishers.

    18
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    Mute Brian Kelly
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    Jun 23rd 2021, 12:01 PM

    @A Bengal Tiger: I was watching a program last year about the fishing up in the northern waters off Norway. A Russian state of the art fishing factory, with nets that are up to seven miles long. Everything that gets into the nets are cough. No wonder the seas are over fished.

    33
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    Mute Jas
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    Jun 23rd 2021, 12:57 PM

    @Jim Buckley Barrett: certainly something fishy going on. There’s no plaice for that here. Before you go off on one I’m only codding ye.

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    Mute Gordon Davies
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    Jun 23rd 2021, 1:06 PM

    @Cian Nolan: please do not eat farmed salmon. Salmon farming is disastrous for the environment and particularly for wild salmon stocks. Salmon farming provides few, low paying jobs. Wild salmon can be the basis for a high value tourism industry. What other activity can fill hotels in January or February in those areas where the angling season opens early.

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    Mute Fargo Boyle
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    Jun 23rd 2021, 1:39 PM

    @Jas: what ya even on about
    ? Talking pollocks here

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    Mute thesaltyurchin
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    Jun 23rd 2021, 2:12 PM

    @Jim Buckley Barrett: thats because we’re only entitled to a tiny percentage of the fish in our waters. The rest is for Europe.

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    Mute Mary Fitzsimons
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    Jun 23rd 2021, 4:32 PM

    @Marty Lawless: tastes like mud

    1
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    Mute Anthony Clark
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    Jun 23rd 2021, 4:37 PM

    @Gordon Davies: Not enough Salmon without farms…

    pretty soon there wont be enough wild fish and all our fish will be from farms.
    Happened in Canada – don’t think their cleared out seas ever recovered from the overfishing

    6
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    Mute Robert Conneely
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    Jun 23rd 2021, 5:17 PM

    @Anthony Clark: That’s not entirely true. They saw an issue with their stocks, tools action and now its a well managed fishery. It contributes over 6 billion to their GDP.

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    Mute Rex Tilson
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    Jun 23rd 2021, 9:53 AM

    Stopped eating fish after watching Seaspiracy on Netflix and researching the claims it makes. Couldn’t enjoy fish again knowing how its industry behaves to make money.

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    Mute Graham Keegan
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    Jun 23rd 2021, 9:56 AM

    @Rex Tilson: If you drink coffee, your reasoning isn’t sound.

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    Mute ShaneO'Mac
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    Jun 23rd 2021, 9:59 AM

    @Rex Tilson: Eat sustainably caught local fish. We live on an island. Ireland would be better off eating more fish and less meat.

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    Mute Jennifer D
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    Jun 23rd 2021, 10:29 AM

    @Rex Tilson: maybe look into sustainable seafood ireland. Fish is sourced by local Irish fishermen in small numbers. They sell in shops and at markets and so a fish subscription box service too.

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    Mute Raysdaisy
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    Jun 23rd 2021, 11:34 AM

    @Jennifer D: just checked out their site. That’s where I’ll be getting fish from now on. Thanks

    30
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    Mute Eoghan
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    Jun 23rd 2021, 11:35 AM

    @Rex Tilson: have you seen cowspiracy?

    19
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    Mute Fiona Fitzgerald
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    Jun 23rd 2021, 1:55 PM

    @ShaneO’Mac: Much as I love fish, I wouldn’t say no to venison either.

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    Mute Rex Tilson
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    Jun 23rd 2021, 7:36 PM

    @Graham Keegan: Dont drink coffee, dont wear mink either before you ask

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    Mute Robbie Curran
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    Jun 23rd 2021, 9:46 AM

    Should be an option for “only on Good Friday and ITICA half price days”.

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    Mute Jason Ebbs
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    Jun 23rd 2021, 11:12 AM

    I always wondered why smoked cod was more expensive to buy the fresh cod. But I then discovered that smoked cod is harder to catch than fresh cod, and smoked cod numbers in the sea are dwindling.

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    Mute David Van-Standen
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    Jun 23rd 2021, 11:50 AM

    @Jason Ebbs: Lol!
    Who are you trying to cod?
    :-)

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    Mute David Van-Standen
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    Jun 23rd 2021, 11:51 AM

    @Jason Ebbs:
    Lol!
    Who are you trying to cod?
    :-)

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    Mute Fiona Fitzgerald
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    Jun 23rd 2021, 1:50 PM

    @Jason Ebbs: Not much of a line, but a great cast!

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    Mute John Murray
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    Jun 23rd 2021, 6:18 PM

    @Jason Ebbs: longer shelf life so supermarkets have less wastage. The wastage is factored into the sale price. Same reason frozen berries per kg are way cheaper than fresh berries. Berries go off in a few days from picking so most of the product in supermarkets is dumped, hence the extremely high price. Fish is similar

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    Mute Garreth Byrne
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    Jun 23rd 2021, 10:14 PM

    @Fiona Fitzgerald: Stop carping at corny puns.

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    Mute Mike Finnegan
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    Jun 23rd 2021, 10:10 AM

    I remember years ago my father quoting what he termed a real black protestant: “I’ll ate fish any day except Friday!”……

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    Mute
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    Jun 23rd 2021, 11:07 AM

    I always eat fresh fish, not the gross battered kind in the photo.

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    Mute Cian Nolan
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    Jun 23rd 2021, 11:45 AM

    If you don’t eat the batter, it’s a beautiful way to cook fish as you’re basically steaming it. I love the batter as well as the fish though.

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    Mute Charles Coughlan
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    Jun 23rd 2021, 11:00 AM

    Where’s the “Not often enough” option, it applies to me for sure

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    Mute Football in the Groin
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    Jun 23rd 2021, 11:01 AM

    Forgot how good fish in a restaurant can be. Had it at the Sea Church out in Ballycotton on Father’s Day, savage. Couldn’t recommend that place enough.

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    Mute John Phelan
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    Jun 23rd 2021, 10:56 AM

    NEVER ! Since I was sent by my parents to an Irish College in Trabolgan in 1958 for five weeks and we got some kind of green boiled fish swimming in a pool of green water every one of the five Fridays, and the only Irish I learned was “ oiche mhait a mhaistir “ which was the required response to the teachers “oiche mhaith a bhuachalli “ as his hand appeared around the door of our chalets to switch off the light. Ugh !

    33
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    Mute Fiona Fitzgerald
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    Jun 23rd 2021, 1:45 PM

    You were lucky. We got seaweed and mashed potatoes and went to the chipper after dinner because we were starved. Some houses made you say a decade of the rosary before eating!

    14
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    Mute Aunties
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    Jun 23rd 2021, 11:19 AM

    I love Mackerel ! But also some Haddock from Beshoffs when in Howth with all the other scrotes

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    Mute xDemo17
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    Jun 23rd 2021, 12:01 PM

    Beshoffs bagget Street, fresh cod and chips, Magical.

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    Mute Jonathan McCoy
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    Jun 23rd 2021, 11:33 AM

    I’m a full member of Save the Fishies, never liked the whole fish eating thing.

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    Mute Anthony Clark
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    Jun 23rd 2021, 4:50 PM

    @Jonathan McCoy: Yes – at least with farming – the cows, speep etc get looked after, food vets etc.

    - but with wild fishing – its just taking all you can from an environment where the fishermen put nothing back into it – just take creatures minding their own business from their environment – ie. * there’s nothing in it for the fishes! *

    Unlike farming, where although individuals are culled – as a herd species – the dna linage is ensured going forward – a form of cooperation and symbiosis.

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    Mute Nomad
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    Jun 23rd 2021, 12:26 PM

    Wife won’t let me cook it in the house

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    Mute Laura Clayton
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    Jun 23rd 2021, 12:52 PM

    @Nomad: stick it in the oven, no smell that way

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    Mute Gordon Davies
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    Jun 23rd 2021, 1:08 PM

    @Nomad: BBQ or microwave…

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    Mute Anthony Clark
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    Jun 23rd 2021, 4:52 PM

    @Gordon Davies: wrap in cling film and microwave. no smell and tastes amazing – like steamed – but not dryed out like ovened or burnt like pan fry.

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    Mute Richard Barrett
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    Jun 23rd 2021, 1:39 PM

    I am indeed a keen icthyophage, and am fortunate to have a specialist fishmonger on my road. I can’t get enough of the fishies.

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    Mute Sean Fallon
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    Jun 23rd 2021, 4:15 PM

    How often does the Journal hold s!lly polls?
    A. Everyday
    B Every Hour
    C Everyday breathing moment

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    Mute TonyB
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    Jun 23rd 2021, 12:00 PM

    A lot of Once-a-week people. I wonder if they still buy the Catholic Church’s message of Don’t eat meat on Friday?

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    Mute thesaltyurchin
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    Jun 23rd 2021, 2:19 PM

    Best stall at the Thursday market in Kilkenny, amazing selection, excellent monger, if you live anywhere near cant recommend it enough.

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    Mute Eddie O'Neill
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    Jun 23rd 2021, 8:12 PM

    Delicious, the wishes, the fishes, and dishes jump out of the ocean and into the pan
    for Martin the Hookery Cookery Man

    The Salmon of Knowledge below in the college,The cod on the rod,The chick on the dish

    The fish are mad about Martin and Martin is mad about fish!

    (John Spillane)

    3
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