The Scottish Salmon Company (SSC) has announced that it is reviewing its harvesting and processing requirements in Stornoway and expects to have to cut jobs in the spring of 2013.
A consultation process has begun with staff to explore options to redeploy people where possible or offer assistance to find alternative employment.
The company has not been able to secure planning permission for additional sites, such as at Toa Tolsta and Plocrapol, in the timescales thought possible when investing the GBP 3 million (USD 4.8 million, EUR 3.7 million) in its new factory and without consistent year-on-year volumes from a balanced farming operation the processing facility cannot be operated efficiently.
In addition, biological challenges in 2012 have impeded the growth of the salmon and impacted on the volumes available in 2013.
However, SSC expects to have more volume toward the end of 2013 and into 2014 when fish from its new site in Highland region are ready to be harvested. The company is also pursuing new planning consents at other locations in the Western Isles and the mainland, which would secure the levels of production needed for its Marybank and Arnish facilities to work at full capacity in the longer term.
Despite this temporary setback, The Scottish Salmon Company’s investors have given their unwavering support to the company’s long term plans and remain committed to building a sustainable business in the Western Isles.
Stewart McLelland, SSC’s chief executive, said:
“We deeply regret this situation, but hope that we can reassure local communities that once more sites start to produce fish, we will once again have the volumes that make full production at Marybank and Arnish viable again.”
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