Icewater Seafoods has made the decision to cancel imports of Russian cod to supply its plant in Arnold’s Cove, and that could have a short-term impact on employment at the year-round facility.
Icewater last year brought in about approximately 2,000 metric tonnes – or 4.4 million pounds of cod mostly from Russia.
President Alberto Wareham says while it was a tough decision to make, it was the right one given the circumstances.
He says it was a business decision for him, but the people of Ukraine are facing much tougher life decisions, as they “fight for their lives.”
In the meantime, Icewater is looking for other sources of frozen-at-sea cod – primarily Norway – to help keep the company’s 225 workers employed.
Wareham admits, there will be less work available at the plant in the short term.
He says the fish they were planning to ship this week won’t be available now, but there will be less work in late March and April that originally planned.