Direct employment in the Irish seafood sector could be increased by 3,000-3,500 by 2006, the IFA and IBEC said yesterday.

But the sector needs increased EU and Government structural support if it is to realise fully its potential for increasing coastal jobs and output as well as adding value to Irish exports, they said in a joint submission to the National Development Plan.

The two bodies are calling for a significant increase in the levels of support to the industry from £75 million (€95 million), or 1 per cent of all structural funding over the period from 1994 to 1999, to at least £200 million over the 2000 to 2006 period.

At present, the marine food sector employs 15,832 people on a full or part-time basis.