Pescanova's turbot production plant in Mira. (Photo: Pescanova)

Pescanova cuts jobs at turbot plant to adjust production

PORTUGAL
Thursday, January 31, 2013, 03:20 (GMT + 9)

The Galician multinational Pescanova will temporarily reduce by 50 per cent the jobs in its turbot farming plant in Mira, the largest in the world in terms of production capacity.

Between February and June 2013, the Portuguese subsidiary of Pescanova will suspend 84 of its 174 workers, Spanish newspaper Faro de Vigo reports.

Pescanova owners argue that they have decided to reduce the number of employees to adjust production, due to improvements being made on the premises of the aquaculture plant in Mira.

Executives are trying to solve technical problems related to water intake for turbot farming ponds. These drawbacks were detected about a year ago and require complex works to remedy the deficiencies found, according to La Voz de Galicia.

During the months of inactivity, workers will receive a salary compensation, of which 70 per cent will be afforded by the Social Security and another 30 per cent by the multinational company.

Employees are expected to rejoin the plant in June.

The fish farm in Portugal was opened in June 2009. Pescanova invested EUR 140 million in the project, with the intention of making this plant the world's largest centre for turbot breeding.

The facility has a floor area of 11,664 square meters and 151,457 square meters of ponds for fish fattening.

Every year, the company produces about 7,000 tonnes of turbot.

Furthermore, Pescanova announced its intention to quote on the stock market 49 per cent of the shares of its subsidiary Acuinova in Chile in 2013.

Last month, several Chilean media reported that there is interest from Norwegian companies to acquire the assets that Pescanova has in the South American country. If this operation was confirmed, Pescanova expects to get about EUR 46 million from the market.

Related article:

- Pescanova freezes expansion of turbot plant in Portugal

By Analia Murias
[email protected]
www.seafood.media

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