Marine Harvest to cut 100 jobs at Scottish fish farms Published duration 21 January 2016

image copyright Marine Harvest image caption Marine Harvest said jobs could go across its Scottish sites

Marine Harvest is to cut up to 100 jobs at its Scottish fish farms after a drop in production and a profit warning.

The company employs 658 people at more than 50 sites in Scotland.

The world's largest fish farmer said the job cuts would make the business more efficient and sustainable.

The Norwegian firm announced earlier this month that there was to be a new managing director of its Scottish operation.

Marine Harvest operates four hatcheries, five freshwater loch sites and 48 sea farms.

Its farm operations are situated across Skye, the Western Isles, Lochaber, Wester Ross and Argyll.

Live fish are harvested at a site at Mallaig and processed at Marine Harvest's Blar Mhor processing plant in Fort William. The company has offices at Fort William and Rosyth in Fife.

The restructuring will affect jobs in different departments across all the regions.

image copyright PA image caption Marine Harvest said the farmed salmon industry was having to face up to new challenges

The company has issued a 30-day notice and will now enter a period of consultation with staff representatives about which posts will be affected.

Ben Hadfield, managing director of Marine Harvest Scotland, said the firm was having to make changes to meet new challenges.

He said: "We will be sorry to see staff leaving, as we have a highly-skilled and talented team here at Marine Harvest Scotland.

"However, the industry is moving at a fast pace and fish farming is in a very different place today from where it was 10 or even five years ago.