Talks underway in bid to save 900 Scottish seafood jobs

Young’s Seafood announced it was to “restructure” its factories across the country after losing a multi-million pound contract to a major supermarket chain.

They said this would result in the closure of its bases in Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, and Grantown-on-Spey in the Highlands.

Minister for business Fergus Ewing will convene a Joint Stakeholder Group which will explore all available ways of protecting the at-risk seafood jobs.

Talks are taking place with the company, Scottish Enterprise, local councils and other groups.

Mr Ewing said: “This is a very anxious time for the workers, their families and for the communities around the two sites. The potential impact of these job losses on a town like Fraserburgh, and the even smaller Spey Valley, cannot be overstated.

“The First Minister and I strongly support Young’s staff in their bid to stay in work. I can give the workers my personal commitment that we will leave no stone unturned as we seek to ensure the continued productive use of these sites, and of the skills developed through years of dedication and hard work.

“We will identify immediate priorities and oversee the work already underway to develop a potential package of support to secure jobs at the two sites, working with Young’s and also looking at alternative solutions for the sites.”

The jobs are under threat following an announcement by Sainsbury’s to end its £100 million salmon supply contract with the firm, switching instead to Scandinavian-based Marine Harvest, who have a number of operations in Scotland.