Layoffs at Connors Bros. seafood plant 'punch in the gut' for community

Connors Bros., a leading supplier of canned herring and a major employer in southwestern New Brunswick, is laying off 20 per cent of its workers, the company announced Thursday. 

The plant in Blacks Harbour, near St. George, employs up to 450 people, depending on the season. 

A Connors spokesperson did not respond when asked exactly how many people had been laid off.

A news release from the company blames the federal government's July decision to cut the herring quota in the Bay of Fundy.

"We've been operating in this community for over 130 years and this is a heartbreaking decision, but it's necessary to keep our plant viable moving forward," Connors Bros. general Manager Chad Baum said in the release.

The company will continue to ask the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to reconsider its science and to re-evaluate the future quota recommendations, the release said.

The plant will continue operating with a reduced workforce, and affected employees were given a six-week notice.

Connors. Bros. operates as a division of Clover Leaf Seafoods, which is owned by the Bumble Bee Seafood Company,  based in San Diego, Calif.

Catch limits will be reduced by about a quarter for the 2024 season, the federal government announced in July, citing declining herring stocks.

Fisheries spokesperson Lauren Sankey said in an email that the department would not be able to offer comment Thursday on the layoffs or the blame from Connors.

MLA says layoffs a major loss for area

Andrea Anderson-Mason, MLA for Fundy-The-Isles-Saint John West, said she's heard from the province that it's estimated about 100 people are laid off but that some local residents say it could be slightly more.

"As you can imagine, this very much feels like a punch in the gut for my community," said Anderson-Mason, who sat as a Progressive Conservative on the government side of the legislature.

While she has spoken with the province to make sure affected workers are assisted, Anderson-Mason said she's disappointed that the Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour was not present in the community on Thursday.

"I have heard government offices say we are looking for other places these people can go to work, but it's not always that simple," she said.

Greg Turner, the labour minister, said in an email statement late Thursday that the province is working with the company to support workers and is planning an information session for them "in the short term." Laid-off workers can also contact WorkingNB for job support, he added.

"We understand that this is a significant blow to the workers, their families, the community and the local economy, and our thoughts go out to them at this difficult time," Turner said.

Anderson-Mason said the area is economically depressed, and there is no public transportation, so it's challenging for some workers to simply start working in another community.

"And so sometimes these speaking notes that you get from the province and government don't necessarily reflect the reality that is the situation that we're facing," she said.

Eastern Charlotte Mayor John Craig said he suspects the company will be restructuring to ensure operations can continue, but that doesn't help those who were laid off.

"Every job lost is a major loss for our area," he said, describing it as a "domino effect" on the community. He said provincial officials will be in Blacks Harbour next week to help those laid off. 

The work at Connors Bros. was hands-on, manual labour that employed a wide variety of people,  including lots of immigrants, and Anderson-Mason said she's heard from seniors and single parents who worked there and are now employed.

Anderson-Mason said the layoffs are not a surprise given the recent DFO reduction of the herring quota. 

"It's incredibly difficult, we have seen the writing on the wall, we have seen the signals," she said.

The company defined the small community of Blacks Harbour, which has a population of about 900, Anderson-Mason said. 

"I don't want to lose sight of the fact that we have families who were living in very challenging situations. These are not high-paying jobs, but they are really important jobs."

"And they are the jobs that keep food on the table for families."

Fishing group warns of indirect impact on lobster fishery

A southwest New Brunswick fishing association is warning of tumble-down effects on the lobster fishery this fall after the herring quota reduction.

"It's a devastating loss for our coastal communities that could have been avoided," said Amanda Johnson, executive director of the Fundy North Fishermen's Association.

She believes the Connors layoffs could have been avoided if the herring quota hadn't been cut.

Because lobster fishermen often use herring for bait, Johnson said the industry will be squeezed when lobster season opens in November.

"It's impacted us as well because Connors is no longer able to supply bait this year for the lobster fishery, which is going to cause severe challenges come this fall when we open," Johnson said.

In July, Connors sent a letter to the association to say the company could no longer supply them with herring bait.

"We appreciate the added challenge this will bring to your lobster fishermen, but we simply do not have enough catch to satisfy our markets and will have no excess fish to sell," Connors president Matt Walsh said in the letter.

Johnson said lobster fishermen are now scrambling to find alternative baits.

"Ultimately, DFO and the Fisheries Act, part of their responsibility is to protect and help coastal communities," she said.

"And these layoffs are not doing that, it's going to impact a lot of people in a negative way."