Tunacor’s only agenda is securing employment for workers: Marino

WALVIS BAY – The managing director (MD) of Tunacor Fisheries, Antonio Marino, says his company’s only agenda is trying to ensure that more than 1 000 workers remain employed at the fishing company.

The MD made these remarks in an interview with Nampa in response to a statement made by the Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Bernard Esau, at a recent media conference.’Tunacor Fisheries might have other agendas to retrench its workers. I do not know why they want to lay off people. That is a question to ask, maybe they have other agendas,’ the minister said during the media conference held at his office.Esau was responding to questions posed by members of the media after the company announced that it was retrenching close to 150 workers at the end of this month.Tunacor currently has a workforce of 1 170 employees.Marino says he believes that the approach should be constructive rather than confrontational under the unfortunate circumstances that the company and the affected employees find themselves.’We cannot keep our workforce under the current circumstances and we have been providing all facts regarding our situation for more than a year without any positive response. It (the company) is to our surprise becoming the target of unproven general allegations,’ the MD said.He explained that his company received fishing quotas of up to 5 509 tons for the 2010/2011 quota year and a total of 5 505 tons including additional allocations for the current quota year. The hake quota year starts on May 1 and ends on April 30 of the following year.Marino says this covers only 30 per cent of the quota that the Tunacor group operates during the year, adding that it obtains the remaining 70 per cent (which is more than 12 000 tons) from its six associated Namibian right-holders, which comes at a cost.’It is relevant to note that other fishing companies with similar levels of direct employment are allocated 80 per cent or 90 per cent of the quota needed every year. We are now requested to continue outsourcing quotas from more right-holders at increasing cost, and remain competitive,’ Marino stated.He said last year during the first week of March and for the whole of April, the company was closed due to the fact that its available quota had been filled. The company however did not retrench any employees at that time.Marino also stated that this year, his company will once again face the same situation unless it is able to secure external quotas, for which he says the company is trying to obtain additional funding.’The true facts are that last year, the hake industry expected an additional allocation to sustain operations until the end of the quota season. Since this additional allocation was refused based on lack of scientific data, several companies including Tunacor had to stop operations, [incurring] losses of close to N$11 million,’ Marino said.The MD said a few general negative allegations were also made against the hake fishing industry at that time and to his surprise, the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for hake was increased to 40 000 tons (30 per cent more) just a few weeks later.Marino however alleges that Tunacor did not benefit from the increase.-Nampa