A massive job loss at the Queensland Seafood Supply Industry is expected as the industry is facing massive cuts in supply.
Key points:More than 5,000 jobs at the Barlow Seafood supply chain were lost as a result of the spillThis is a huge blow to the Barrow industryThe Queensland Seafight Industry was founded by a fisherman from Barrow in the 1920s and has since been based in the Gulf of Carpentaria for many yearsThe Barlow industry has seen massive job losses due to the spill on Thursday.
More than 3,000 people were employed at the seafood supply chain and more than 4,000 more jobs are expected to be lost in the coming weeks, according to the Seafood Business Council.
A massive loss of jobs is expected due to a number of factors, including the cost of the cleanup, and it has been estimated that a minimum of $1.7 million will be lost over the course of the next 12 months.
The Seafood Productivity Commission has estimated the cost at more than $4 million.
It is a big blow to a sector that has relied on the Barrie-based Barlow company for its supply for over a century.
It comes just a week after the Barriers Seafood Association, which represents fishermen in the Barriole Sea, told the ABC that its members were still struggling to recover from the spill.
“The Seafight Association is really concerned and we’re really disappointed,” Seafood Industries Association director of external affairs James Crouch said.
“We’ve been in contact with the industry for the past week and they’ve told us they’re still working with the Queensland Government on what their plans are.”
If they can’t get through the next few days, then we’ll have to look at that next.
“Mr Crouch is one of several business leaders who have voiced their concern at the cost to the industry, which has lost more than half its workforce in the last year.”
I think that we’ve been over-estimating the loss, and that’s probably the reason for that,” Mr Crouch told ABC News Breakfast.”
It’s a very challenging situation.
It’s certainly going to be a long-term one for Barrioles Seafoods.
“He said the industry was expecting the damage to be “quite substantial” and he believed the “unbelievable” cost to be around $4.2 million.”
They’ve lost 5,100 jobs.
That’s quite significant,” he said.
The Queensland Government has said that it will help recover lost profits from the Barleigh Seafood industry by “reimbursement of any remaining costs incurred” and has said the cost will not be passed onto customers.
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