UK-based Whitby Seafoods has been forced to temporarily shutter its Kilkeel processing facility in Northern Ireland after 42 members of staff tested positive for COVID-19.

The firm, situated at the edge of Kilkeel Harbour in County Down, employs 250 people for freezing, peeling and preparing scampi tails.

Kilkeel Seafoods requested, as a preventative safety measure, that all staff be tested at the end of last week after a small number of workers tested positive tests for the virus.

The firm has been working under strict COVID guidelines, employing stringent use of social distancing and protective equipment, a spokesperson said.

The factory closed on July 1 and has remained closed while a complete cleaning is performed.

"The factory had a shutdown planned in July and so now will not reopen until July 19," said the company. "Procedures are being put in place to reopen safely and protect the workforce and other stakeholders."

A small number of staff who tested negative for COVID-19 will continue to go into Kilkeel Seafoods during the shutdown, but will only be working in the office and the prawn intake areas of the site to undertake tail freezing.

Supporting the fishing effort has been a priority for the company throughout the pandemic.

"This will not impact our supply to customers as we are carrying enough stocks to cover this temporary closure," Laura Whittle, sales and marketing director at Whitby Seafoods told IntraFish.

"Obviously the wellbeing of staff is our number one priority in this."