Around 70 jobs axed as fish processing company closes

By Jenness Mitchell & Colin Wight

Around 70 workers have lost their jobs following the closure of a fish processing firm in Aberdeenshire.

The positions at the Prime Seafoods factories in Peterhead and Fraserburgh were axed earlier this week due to “financial difficulties”.

Aberdeenshire Council – which is a member of Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) – said it was looking at the support it might be able to offer to those affected by the closure.

Belinda Miller, head of economic development and protective services, said: “We appreciate this must be a very worrying time for everybody concerned and arrangements are being made to provide information directly to employees.”

A liquidator has now been appointed and the assets sold off to pay creditors.

More than 50 of the 68 staff have found other jobs in Fraserburgh.

The Scottish Government said it was “concerned” over the job losses.

A spokesperson said: “This will be a difficult time for employees affected and their families, and we will offer support to staff through our initiative for responding to redundancies, PACE.”

The Scottish Government stated it offers the “most competitive non-domestic rates regime in the UK”, ensuring that over 95% of properties in Scotland pay a lower poundage than they would in other parts of the UK.

The spokesperson added: “We are committed to supporting the sector – but the biggest risk to Scotland’s seafood industry is the UK Government’s Brexit proposals, which threaten to see the imposition of tariffs and other barriers to trade, which could prove devastating for jobs and exports.”