Pubs are being encouraged to make seafood a more regular feature on their menus under a £700,000 promotional campaign launched yesterday by the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources, Dr Woods.
The bulk of the funding, some £380,000, has been allocated to export marketing.
A pilot Seafood Pub Development programme last year identified the pub catering sector as a growth area for seafood consumption. With £30,000 of additional funding, the programme will be extended this year to cater for a greater number of promotions and workshops. Specialist seafood catering manuals for bar workers will also be distributed.
Other promotional projects include a £50,000 plan to develop a seafood information pack for schools as well as a consumer awareness programme for transition-year students and a £43,000 quality improvement programme for aquaculture products.