An opposition MP in Niue says the closure of a fishing company, even temporarily, will have a big impact on the country.
Reef fishing's processing plant in Alofi will be shut down for some months, while the fleet is re-organised over the cyclone season.
The company says bad weather conditions, and whales decimating the catch, along with a soft fish market, have made for a tough operating environment.
Opposition MP Terry Coe says he feels sorry for the people who will be out of work.
"The main thing there is that they weren't expecting it, because Reef had, just the week before, been advertising for people to come down and work in the factory. So it is very disappointing for those people that had come down. And got a job that have just been told they've got no job."
Terry Coe says along with the workers, Reef has supported the private sector, and with the closure, the business will suffer.
