Fish plant to reopen

By Charlotte MacAulay

“You can see a sense of excitement with people coming in the door these days,” said Otis Butler, owner of the Cloverfarm in Murray Harbour.
Mr Butler is referring to the reopening of the fish plant at Beach Point for the coming season.
Although there has been no official annoucement from the company, Mazzetta, that has purchased the plant from Ocean Choice an advertisment in last weeks Graphic looking for production line workers tells the story that the plant will reopen.
The company says it wants to stay out of the limelight until all the i’s are dotted and the t’s crossed.
Mr Butler said it will be a big boost for the community of 400 in the Murray Harbour area.
“It’s hard to have a business without comers,” he said.
Last year business was down and with the recession even tourism was down he said.
“To see these jobs coming back is a boom to the area, but even so the people are a little reserve,” he said.
They’ve seen first Polar abandon the plant then Ocean Choice so they have to put their faith in yet another big company.
“ Ocean Choice was a decent company while they were here,” Mr Butler said and from everything they have heard so far it sounds like Mazzetti is a company that will be a good corporate citizen too.
Linda Butler said she hopes there will be adequite housing avaliable for any out-of-town workers. There was some struggle in finding housing the last year the plant was open she said.
Arlene Miller of Miller’s Esso in Murray Harbour said the plant reopening will be good news in the community.
“We could see a difference here last year and we’re pretty happy about the plant reopening.
The out of town workers return business will be a boost to business Ms Miller said.