A local labor union is upset that Quin-Sea Fisheries and Quinlan Brothers’ Gulf Shrimp Limited opted not to rebuild their shrimp processing plant in Newfoundland, Canada, after it was completely destroyed in a fire last May.
The processing plant at Black Duck Cove in Newfoundland, operated by Quin-Sea Fisheries’ subsidiary Gulf Shrimp, was inoperable, so Gulf Shrimp offered temporary employment to all its production employees and staff from its Black Duck Cove plant at other processing facilities in Newfoundland.
This week, the management of Gulf Shrimp announced the permanent closure of the Black Duck Cove plant.
“With our sincere regrets, we have come to the conclusion that the resource base for shrimp is inadequate and at a level that will not allow us to successfully sustain a reinvestment in a new Black Duck Cove shrimp plant,” the company said in a press release.
Gulf Shrimp management said it gave careful consideration to the significant decline in shrimp quota in recent years, the closure of numerous shrimp plants in the province, the outlook from recent biological reports, and the expectations of future shrimp quotas in Newfoundland – specifically in areas close in proximity to the Black Duck Cove plant.
“The owners encourage all staff of Black Duck Cove to consider employment within their other operations in Newfoundland, all of which have multiple employment opportunities for the 2020 season,” Gulf Shrimp said.
In response, the United Food and Commercial Workers Union for Newfoundland and Labrador is criticizing Gulf Shrimp for harming employees and the community by not reopening the plant.
Eva Applin, a representative with the local UFCW chapter, which represents 75 employees, told CBC Gulf Shrimp has the resources to reopen the plant but is refusing to do so.
"I know there's a decline in the shrimp fishery, but you do have ample resources to put something else back here,” Applin said. "We have the product … They're landing lobster at our wharf and they're shipping it off.”
While Gulf Shrimp originally offered displaced Duck Trap Cove workers jobs at their plant at Old Perlican, those jobs have not sustained the former workers, according to Applin.
Eleven workers relocated to Old Pelican, but four have returned due to a lack of work hours, she said.
Representatives for Gulf Shrimp and UFCW did not return calls for comment from SeafoodSource.
