Rising costs and supply issues blamed for factory shut down.

TRADING challenges are being blamed for the loss of up to 30 jobs just weeks before Christmas at the Fresh Fish Deli in Skibbereen, which ceased operating last Friday November 28th.

Employees were told the decision was due to rising operating costs, pressures from increased supplier and compliance expenses in the seafood industry, and inconsistent fish supplies.

Launched in 2014, the business specialised in seafood products such as fish cakes, fish pies and seafood chowder, sourced from West Cork boats and supplied to SuperValu, Tesco, Centra and Dunnes Stores. 

It relocated  its  production to a 6,000sqft facility at Skibbereen’s Carbery Enterprise Park in 2017, following earlier operations in Union Hall and Rosscarbery.

The business employed around 25 staff in production, logistics and administration year-round, increasing to around 30 with seasonal workers at peak times.

The Fresh Fish Deli co-owner and founder Monica Buckley told The Southern Star it has been an ‘incredibly difficult decision’ to make.

‘We have worked tirelessly to navigate the cost pressures and supply challenges that have affected the industry, but the combined impact has made it impossible to continue trading,’ she said.

A company statement added: ‘My heartfelt thanks go to our staff, customers, and suppliers for their incredible support over the years. Your loyalty has meant everything to us. Thank you to everyone who has supported us throughout our journey.’

Fianna Fáil Cllr Joe Carroll said the news came as a shock, especially with the festive season looming, and he called for a review of fishing policies.

EU fishing quotas and financial pressures on fishing enterprises had heavily affected seafood prices and, as a result, had knock-on effects on businesses like The Fresh Fish Deli, he said.

Cllr Carroll said: ‘It’s a big shock for anyone involved, and for our town. I want to make it very clear that I am putting this down to fishing policies that are destroying the Irish fishing industry.
‘It’s an outrage because we are a country surrounded by water. We should be surviving on fishing. We are paying fishermen to scrap their boats so they can stick to fishing quotas.’’

Patrick Murphy, chief executive of the Irish South & West Fish Producers Organisation, described the closure as ‘tragic’ and said Irish boats pulled in as little as 15% of catches off our shores.

Fishing industry representatives met on Wednesday ahead of EU quota negotiations, warning that the sector faced a €94m reduction in quota cuts next year.