MH points to lower harvest as it cuts 34 jobs
Marine Harvest Scotland has blamed the seasonal nature of fish farming and a predicted lower harvest this year for its decision to make 34 staff redundant.
Half the job losses will be at the company's farms on the west coast, and the rest will be in its fish processing facility at Fort William. The company's processing plant at Rosyth is unaffected.
Steve Bracken, business support manager at Marine Harvest, said: "We’re sorry to have to take this action, but we need to ensure the business is sustainable for the future."
Alternative employment
He said: "We are working with the various agencies and will do everything we can to find alternative employment for those who will be losing their jobs.
"Almost half the jobs are in processing which reflects the seasonal nature of work in this particular part of the business.
"In addition, there will be some redundancies in farming, largely because we will be harvesting fewer fish this year than last."
Harvesting cycles
Noting that demand builds up before Christmas and drops off afterwards, he added: "Salmon farming has always involved some fluctuation in employment numbers due to the harvesting cycles, but we will do everything we can to help those who will be leaving the business."
Marine Harvest employs nearly 1,200 people in Scotland. The redundancies reduce the number of workers spread throughout its four hatcheries, five freshwater loch sites, 49 sea farms, harvest station at Mallaig and the Blar Mhor processing plant in Fort William to 670. The other 500 work at Rosyth.
The company is currently recruiting for its new £93 million feed plant at Kyleakin, Skye, which is expected to be completed in the autumn. The plant will employ 55 staff.
