A joint report published today by Bord Iascaigh Mhara and the Marine Institute, claims 4,500 extra jobs could be created if fish farming was developed into sites on the open sea particularly off the west coast.
The report was released at the opening of an international conference on off-shore fish farming in Limerick.
It suggests the formation of a new global body for fish farming called the International Council for Off-Shore Development which would be founded with the collaboration with the University of Limerick.
This proposal will be put before the conference later.
The newly appointed Junior Minister of the Marine, Pat 'The Cope' Gallagher, said the development of aqua culture into the future would put Ireland in a leading role internationally.
He said there was considerable potential for off-shore fish farming because the output from traditional fishing methods will remain static over the next few years.
