Shaping the future of Northern Ireland’s Nephrops industry
With annual landings worth £24.5m and creating jobs for around 350 fishermen, the Nephrops sector is crucial to the health of Northern Ireland’s seafood industry and economy.
The fleet boasts 85 trawlers, including a handful of smaller potting vessels fishing in Strangford Lough. They are all part of a sector which also supports processors and communities in the main commercial fishing harbours of Kilkeel, Ardglass and Portavogie.
Nephrops (Nephrops norvegicus), also known as Norway lobster, langoustine or Dublin Bay prawn, may be small, but they play a big role at sea and on shore. Their tails are used to make one of the UK’s most familiar seafood dishes: scampi.
Yet, while the sector brings economic opportunity and a strong community, it also faces real challenges. Fishermen are contending with increasing spatial squeeze, while the Nephrops industry in Northern Ireland has also been advised to expect a 19% reduction in its catch quota. Many of these issues sit outside the industry’s control but the industry remains resilient to the challenges it faces.
Across Northern Ireland, businesses are finding new ways to ensure the Nephrops sector not only weathers these challenges but continues to grow. So, what does that future look like? We spoke to three forward-thinking businesses to hear how they’re remaining future-ready.
Kilkeel Seafood
With over 30 years of experience, Kilkeel Seafood, part of the Whitby Seafoods Group, specialises in producing sustainably sourced scampi caught in UK and Irish waters.
Innovation is at the heart of what Kilkeel Seafood stands for. It has been developing groundbreaking equipment and leading on sustainable initiatives aimed at laying the foundations for the future of the industry.
In May 2025, the business was involved in a pioneering project with the Nephrops trawler, Golden Ray.
The project was led by Fisheries Innovation & Sustainability (FIS) and involved trialling a prototype machine for prawn stunning and tailing.
Gary Cassidy from Kilkeel Seafoods said:
We view the prawn stunning and tailing prototype as a key enabling technology that supports the long-term sustainability of the Nephrops fishery in Northern Ireland.
“It has the potential to improve crew welfare by reducing workload and manual handling, enhancing animal welfare, and delivering productivity benefits for the vessel.
Most recently, the project secured funding from Northern Ireland’s Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) to enable it to enter the next phase of development.
Rooney Fish
From humble beginnings starting from a spare bedroom selling fish out of a chest freezer to now operating from a 6000sq metre high-tech plant, family-owned seafood business Rooney Fish celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2025.
A real catch-to-plate business, Rooney Fish, founded by John and Rosemary Rooney, is known for playing a leading role in the growth of the Nephrops sector in Northern Ireland.
But in the face of supply challenges experienced by many seafood businesses in Northern Ireland, Rooney Fish has also taken matters into its own hands to secure its future in the Nephrops sector by diversifying its product range and rethinking how it sells its products.
A particular focus has been on seizing opportunities to trade abroad. Rooney Fish has built strong links with international companies.
Now led by John and Rosemary’s son Andrew, who proudly walks in his parents’ footsteps, Andrew has travelled the world to explore international markets for the company’s products and is supported by Seafish in attending global seafood expos in Barcelona, China and Japan as part of the GREAT campaign, the Government-led initiative designed to showcase the fantastic offerings available in the UK.
Today, Rooney Fish exports products to markets across Europe, South America and Asia, showcasing the quality of Northern Ireland’s Nephrops and seafood industry.
Andrew said:
I proudly remember helping out with the business when I was as tall as a fish hook – but officially joined when I was 19 years old.
“It meant I got the chance to spend time with my father who was a pioneer of the local seafood industry. Challenges in the sector led him to explore potential in exporting to the European market and moving from selling fish to Nephrops.
“As a result, by 2014, Rooney Fish was one of the biggest shellfish processors in Northern Ireland.
“Today we continue to attend international seafood tradeshows to capitalise export markets and showcase Northern Ireland's quality seafood products on a global stage.
Sea Source
Sitting on the harbour in Kilkeel is Sea Source, a business whose core identity is focused on supporting the local fishing community and its economy.
Sea Source operates as a co-operative catch-to-plate business which means it is owned and run by its members, the local fishermen.
This co-operative ownership model allows the fishermen to work together on shared needs of the local fleet as well as supporting the surrounding harbour community through local jobs and an opportunity for buying local produce.
It does this by sourcing its produce, including prime whole Nephrops, directly from its local fishing fleet at Kilkeel harbour. Not only supporting the town’s fishing industry but also ensuring money is spent locally.
From the harbour, the catch moves directly into the nearby Sea Source factory, sitting just above the harbour wall. Here, the team cleans, grades, weighs, packages and then ices the Nephrops so they are ready to distribute to customers both in and outside of the UK.
And as the local community is a fundamental part of Sea Source, it always retains enough product for its renowned seafood shop, located in the heart of Kilkeel town.
Initially planned as a pop-up in 2016, the now permanent shop has become a way for locals to support their own harbour community and provides a shop window to showcase the variety of seafood available in Northern Ireland.
Brian Chambers from Sea Source said:
Good infrastructure, markets and processing factories are essential to support and help the fishing industry to grow.
“At Sea Source we recognise this and work hard to promote seafood both locally and abroad, highlighting the health benefits associated from a sustainable resource, which has a low carbon impact and is vital to our communities.
How we can help
Through innovation, diversification and collaboration, the three businesses have navigated choppy waters with determination and pride, helping to secure the future of the Nephrops sector as a cornerstone of Northern Ireland’s seafood industry.
If you are a business or an individual in Northern Ireland and would like to discuss this work, or learn more about the support available across regulation, market insight, economics, or safety and training, please contact our local Industry Engagement Manager.