Bellingham, Washington-based company Bornstein Seafoods will be shutting down its groundfish processing operations in the latter part of August, impacting the jobs of about 40 workers.
Colin Bornstein, the company’s CEO, said the firm decided to close its groundfish processing division due to changing regulations and commercial fishing fleet consolidations, according to a recent report from The Bellingham Herald. Oregon waters are supplying more groundfish these days, Bornstein said. As such, Bornstein Seafoods will use its three Oregon-based processing facilities to accommodate the species, ultimately saving on costs and time, he added.
Bornstein Seafoods plans to maintain its value-added albacore tuna operations in Bellingham – a division that employs 25 people. The company is currently looking into other opportunities to bring different types of seafood to Bellingham for processing, an investigation it hopes will bear fruit in the next six months, The Bellingham Herald reported.
For workers who are impacted by the groundfish closure, Bornstein Seafoods is working with WorkSource Whatcom to help them find other jobs in the area. It is also offering workers opportunities at its Oregon facilities, if they’re willing to make the move, Bornstein said.
“We feel horrible about this,” Bornstein told The Bellingham Herald. “It’s an unfortunate situation and we are working to take care of these employees.”
Bornstein Seafoods was founded in Bellingham in 1934 by Myer A. Bornstein, with Jay Bornstein taking over for his father in 1980, according to the company’s website. Jay Bornstein expanded the company’s operations along the West Coast until 2010, when his three sons Kyle, Colin, and Andrew Bornstein assumed leadership of the business.
Image courtesy of Bornstein Seafoods
