Job cuts in Chile salmon farms
NORWEGIAN owned Marine Harvest is cutting up to 500 jobs in a restructuring process at its Chilean outlet. The move follows a toxic algae crisis that wiped out millions of fish.
The company said last month that it expected to lose 2.7 million salmon at four of its sites in the southern region of Chile, after high sea temperatures caused a devastating algal bloom. All the fish were covered by insurance.
‘Marine Harvest will revert with a complete restructuring plan of Marine Harvest Chile in connection with the first quarter results release on May 11,’ said the company.
The National Fisheries and Aquaculture Service (SERNAPESCA) national director José Miguel Burgos said the emergency caused by algae bloom resulted in the death of some 25 million fish in total, the equivalent to 39,942 tonnes of dead biomass.
Some 45 farms were affected in the region of Los Lagos.