Farmed shellfish and farmed finfish production accounted for 65% and 35% of overall aquaculture production volume respectively in Ireland (2018). Salmon continued to be the most valuable seafood export with a total produce of 12,200 tonnes, whilst the value of shellfish grew, mainly driven by the high demand for shellfish in the Chinese market.Shellfish aquaculture activities are widely distributed across the coast of Ireland, with particular concentrations in Co. Donegal, Connemara, Co. Galway, West Cork, Co. Waterford, Co. Wexford, and Carlingford Lough, Co. Louth. Finfish aquaculture is mainly restricted to the Western seaboard in counties Donegal, Mayo, Galway, Kerry and Cork.

Sea fisheries represent an important component of the ocean economy in Ireland in terms of revenue and employment. According to the latest EU economic report on the EU fishing fleet (STECF 18-07), the Irish fishing fleet was comprised of 1953 registered vessels, with a total capacity of 60.5 thousand Gross Tonnes (GT) in 2017. Fishing communities are distributed around the coast of Ireland, centred particularly on the fishing harbours of Killybegs (Co. Donegal), Ros an Mhil (Co. Galway), An Daingean (Co. Kerry), Castletownbere (Co. Cork), Dunmore East (Co. Waterford) and Howth (Co. Dublin).

Oil and natural gas remain essential primary energy inputs to all major sectors in the Irish economy. In 2017 oil and gas accounted for 49% and 29% respectively of Ireland’s total energy requirements, with transport having consumed 72% of supplied oil, and industry sectors having consumed 42% of supplied gas.

The Naval Service in Ireland is one of the three components of the Irish Defence Forces – Army, Naval Services and Air Corps. With its headquarters based in Cork, the Naval Service provides the maritime component of the State's Defence capabilities and is the State's principal seagoing agency. It is responsible for a variety of roles including defending territorial seas, deterring intrusive or aggressive acts, conducting maritime surveillance, maintaining an armed naval presence, ensuring right of passage, protecting marine assets, countering port blockades; people or arms smuggling, illegal drugs interdiction, and providing the primary diving team in the State . Occasionally the Service undertakes longer missions in support of other elements of the Defence Forces, Irish peacekeepers serving with the United Nations, or humanitarian and trade missions.

The marine renewable energy industry in Ireland includes the generation of power from offshore wind and the development of technologies and energy utilising wave and tidal resources. Wave energy technologies and investments are still mainly at planning and R&D stages worldwide. On the other hand, due to increasing funding support for wind energy and operational experiences gained from offshore oil and gas platforms, significant technological innovations and investment has taken place in offshore wind farm projects at a European and global level.

Ireland’s third level education institutions offer a range of marine and marine‐related undergraduate and postgraduate courses. There were approximately 42 ‐ 44 marine related courses provided in the 2012 – 2015 period. Marine research funding in Ireland in 2017 was provided by a number of source funding - DAFM, DCCAR,DCHG, DHPLG Env. Fund, and EU funding.

One of the key industries contributing to Ireland’s ocean and coastal economies is tourism and leisure. Tourism and leisure in marine and coastal areas 13 continues to provide the highest employment numbers in Ireland’s ocean economy. Excluding coastal accommodation, an estimated 260 enterprises are also involved in the delivery of marine leisure activities around the coast of Ireland. Tourism and leisure in marine and coastal areas are offered all along the coast of Ireland. Coastal tourism is a sub set of general tourism, and marine based or water based tourism is a sub set of coastal tourism. Coastal tourism will be larger than marine based tourism. Also included in this section are figures from International Cruise Industry.

Shipping and maritime transport provides supply chain integration and international trade connectivity for Ireland to the main global trade routes and markets. Marine trade is the most cost efficient and sustainable way of trade, especially for cargoes with relatively high volume and long origin-destination distances. The maritime transport industry represented approximately 85% of the total volume, and 56% of the total value of the cargoes transported for export and import in Ireland in 2016. Sea and coastal passenger water transport includes: • Sea and coastal freight water transport • Services incidental to water transport • Cargo handling • Renting and leasing of water transport equipment • Other transportation support activities The majority of shipping and maritime operations and services occur around commercial ports along the coast of Ireland: Cork, Drogheda, Dublin, Waterford, Dundalk, Dun Laoghaire, Galway, New Ross, Shannon Foynes and Wicklow

Other Marine Sector activities where there is not a specific Feature have been combined into this heading. These including: Marine Commerce Advance Marine Technology Products and Services Marine Manufacturing Construction and Engineering Marine Retail Services