Jobs to go after fishing quota cuts

Sunday Star Times

THROWN BACK: Fishing giant Sealord is to cut staff in the wake of newly revised fishing quotas.

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Sealord is planning to cut staff numbers as a result of fishing quota cuts announced by the Government last week.

The Nelson-based company said it had decided not to replace the charter vessel Paerangi, which had been sold and leaves New Zealand at the end of October.

That move would affect 85 crew, although Sealord was trying to find other jobs within the company for as many staff as it could.

Sealord's new chief executive, Graham Stuart, also told the Nelson Mail the company needed to reduce staff levels at its Nelson factory, and had spoken to staff about this.

He said he did not yet know how many jobs might go. The company was still consulting with staff and union officials, although a decision was expected to be made within the next month.

Sealord has about 450 permanent staff at its Nelson factory.

Mr Stuart said that of the Paerangi crew, most were expected to want jobs on other vessels.

While the catch limit changes meant Sealord would have 3.5 per cent less fishing quota, it was not unhappy about the new limits, he said.

Among the changes was a 10 per cent cut to the total allowable hoki catch.

"It's an essential step to take in the management of the fisheries and, in the long term, we've got a huge economic incentive to make sure the fisheries are well-managed."

However, with less fish to catch, the high New Zealand dollar, and pressure on pricing because of overseas competitors, costs had to be cut to keep the business more viable, he said.

Sealord was also relocating its corporate office from Nelson to Auckland, a move that Mr Stuart said would be complete by June next year.

However, the change involved no job losses and nobody would need to relocate from Nelson to Auckland.

- NZPA