Seafood Scotland and Seafish as part of the Scottish Seafood Training Network, have brought the industry together for a webinar with Helen Muir, chair of the Scottish Seafood Training Network, to establish what is needed to make the sector safer for workers and consumers.
Helen Muir, head of HR for Dawnfresh, shared the measures that Dawnfresh has undertaken to make its operations safe in light of Covid-19 and to ensure that production can continue around social distancing and new hygiene guidelines.
“Although the product is the same, Covid-19 changed almost everything about what we do to reach that point,” said Ms Muir. “This spring, we had a matter of days to upend our entire operation.
“Worker safety and quality product are ‘mission-critical’ areas for our operation and so we did what needed to be done to ensure both continued. As a result, we are still processing, and importantly, market-ready for an increase in demand.”
At present, Scotland is running at around 50% of processing capacity, but as markets prepare to re-open and consumers demand for premium seafood increases, the sector must be ready.
Interim head of Seafood Scotland, Donna Fordyce, praised the efforts made by Dawnfresh. “The measures were necessary, implemented quickly and are constantly monitored alongside government and HSE advice,” she said. “They are a superb example of the level of action required by all to ensure key workers can operate.”
