Down East sardine cannery to close
A sardine cannery in Prospect Harbor announced yesterday a dwindling fish supply will force it to close in April and put nearly 130 people out of work.
Officials at Bumble Bee Foods told the Bangor Daily News they will close the plant on April 18. They attributed their decision to the federal fisheries restrictions, which have reduced the herring catch by 50% in the five-plus years since Bumble Bee bought the plant, according to the Portland Press Herald. The federal catch limit for herring was reduced from 180,000 metric tons a year in 2004 to 91,200 metric tons for this year.
Melody Kimmel, a spokeswoman for the San Diego-based company, said the workers will be offered jobs that become available at Bumble Bee's plants in California, New Jersey, Puerto Rico and Canada, according to the Press Herald.
Bumble Bee has owned and operated the 100-year-old former Stinson Seafood cannery since 2004. Gov. John Baldacci said the state will work with the displaced workers to find them new jobs, as well as look for new uses for the cannery.
Go to the article from the Bangor Daily News >>
Go to the article from the Portland Press Herald >>
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