North Norfolk fishermen in the UK have given a mixed reaction to the announcement by Young’s Seafood, after eight months of uncertainty, that its Cromer Crab factory will close in August with the loss of 109 jobs. The factory’s work will move to Grimsby.
Young’s has said that it wants to keep the well-recognized Cromer crab brand in the town and will be holding talks with home grown producers and continuing to buy from local fishermen.
But no-one locally is sure what that means, said Ivan Large, chairman of the Wells and District Inshore Fishermen’s Association and the North Norfolk Fishermen’s Society.
“I tried to find out what they are talking about but they won’t commit themselves," Large told Fishing News.
On the one hand, the effect on crab fishermen beach-launching from Cromer is likely to be limited because although some have supplied the factory, they have historically processed much of their catch themselves for sale locally, particularly to the hospitality market.
Cromer fisherman, John...
