Bakkafrost is one of the Isle of Lewis's largest employers.
Bakkafrost Scotland
Faroese salmon farming company Bakkafrost is considering closing two of its Scottish processing facilities for an extended period of time in order to "futureproof the business", the company has announced.
Bakkafrost operates two facilities for harvesting and processing of salmon near Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis, which together employ around 80 staff members, whose jobs are now at risk.
Local politician Alasdair Allan MSP, who represents the Western Isles (Na h-Eileanan Siar, in Scottish Gaelic) in the Scottish Parliament, held an "emergency meeting" on 10 July with Bakkafrost management to discuss the planned closure. According to Allan, Bakkafrost is considering keeping the plants closed until at least 2027 due to insufficient numbers of fish.
"Obviously this news is devastating for the Isle of Lewis, and it will be a deeply worrying time for the employees of the plant and their families," Allan said in an online statement.
“This is one of the island’s largest employers and these job losses will have other knock-on impacts on smaller local business. I fear for the impact this decision could have on the wider economy and community in the islands, and this was my message when I met the company by phone this afternoon."
“I met earlier in the day with both Comhairle nan Eilean Siar and Bakkafrost and urged the company to reconsider this decision. I am also writing to the Deputy First Minister and Highland and Islands Enterprise to look into assisting Bakkafrost to potentially recommencing operations at Arnish in future years," he continued.
“Importantly, I intend to meet with representatives of the workforce at their earliest convenience to see what more can be done to support workers and their families during this difficult time," Allan said.
Allan said that Bakkafrost had confirmed that the closure would only affect its processing facilities, and that there would be no job losses at the company's fish farming sites in the Western Isles.
"I can confirm we are considering a temporary, but extended, closure of our facilities at Marybank and Arnish in Stornoway, affecting around 80 jobs," Bakkafrost said in a press statement.
“As our communicated plans, the business has harvested the majority of our production in the first part of the year and there will be minimal harvesting activity over the next 18 months in the North, this is due to stocking timing and locations."
“Our board has been forced to consider extremely difficult scenarios in order to futureproof the business and secure our remaining staff across Scotland. One of the scenarios proposed is that we close the Arnish Harvest Station and the Marybank Processing Facility, for an extended period," the statement continued.
Bakkafrost said it would now "start a period of collective consultation with those potentially affected", and indicated it hoped to complete this "over the coming weeks".