SEMRU conducts research into a variety of marine related issues associated with the economics of fisheries, the marine environment and the rural development of coastal communities. SEMRU’s research program involves the compilation of information in relation to economic and social patterns in Irish coastal communities as well as the economic activity taking place in the seas surrounding Ireland. Researchers, primarily economists, policy analysts, and computers scientists, identify, collect and formulate primary and secondary source information in relation to the Irish marine activity, then analyze and interpret it.
 
The unit has been established to underpin the development of the marine sector in Ireland as elaborated in the Marine Institute Sea Change Strategy. As such, it contributes to the EU marine socioeconomic research agenda and strengthens marine research in general through providing a complementary socio-economic element in scientific projects. SEMRU was founded in 2008 through a commitment of €2m in funding from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food’s Beaufort Award. As such many of the projects listed below are directly funded through the Beaufort Award.