May 1, 2020 — NEW BEDFORD, Mass. — The following was released by Blue Harvest Fisheries:
Blue Harvest Fisheries is committed to the safety and well-being of its employees, and to the safety and quality of its seafood products, above all else. In addition to existing precautions the company initiated, which were in compliance with guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and other Federal agencies, Blue Harvest has implemented a series of comprehensive new precautionary measures. Additionally, although there is no evidence that any employees have contracted the COVID-19 virus on the job, Blue Harvest will offer its hourly workers an additional $1.00-per-hour hazard pay for the duration of the state of emergency as declared by the Governor of Massachusetts.
When Blue Harvest learned that two employees had tested positive for COVID-19 over an 11-day period, having apparently contracted the illness outside of the workplace, Blue Harvest voluntarily reported this information to the New Bedford Board of Health. Prior to this, Blue Harvest had already created and began implementing a 25-point protocol for COVID-19 based on emerging best practices, and had arranged for an independent company to conduct deep cleaning and disinfecting even before the anticipated closure order arrived.
The company closed at the end of the workday last Thursday. Working around the clock over the weekend, Blue Harvest staff built 3-sided plexiglass separations to improve social distancing measures on the plant floor. Operations resumed as normal on Monday.