FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 11, 2007

CONTACT:
Brandon MacGillis,
202.550.4580

Chilean labor unions unite, protest substandard industry practices and working conditions at salmon farms

Marine Harvest Chilean worker sends, intends to deliver letter to Marine Harvest board of directors demanding better social and corporate responsibility<

Oslo, Norway — Ricardo Casas, President of Fetrainpes from X Region (Federation of Workers from the Fishing Industry, Region de los Lagos) and Marine Harvest Chile worker, today sent a letter to the Marine Harvest board of directors urging the company to immediately improve its labor standards and practices in Chile. In addition to mailing the letter, Casas hopes to present it directly to the board at Marine Harvest's annual general meeting on June 13 in Oslo.

Casas represents 2,800 workers from 27 unions that include, among others, unions from fish processing plants, salmon farm facilities and net repair workshops. These unions, in addition to five Marine Harvest unions (made up of approximately 600 workers), and the Confederation of Salmon Workers (Conatrasal, comprised of 2,850 workers), signed a letter to the company detailing the abuse of power, intimidation and pressure that local managers exert against the unions. This letter represents more than half of all unionized workers in Chile's aquaculture sector.

"It's time for Marine Harvest to improve standards and labor practices toward its workers and finally respect Chilean laws," said Ricardo Casas, president, Fetrainpes from X Region. "It's inexcusable that Marine Harvest treats its Norwegian salmon farmers better than those in Chile."

According to the letter, "It is an ethical imperative for Norwegian corporations producing and exporting salmon and trout, acquainted with operations under strict governmental guidelines, to comply with the labour laws. However, we have seen in multiple occasions how the industry, including Marine Harvest, has not fulfilled the permissive and fragile Chilean legislation."

These salmon farmers are concerned with health and security conditions, low wages and benefits and anti-union practices by employers within the farmed salmon industry. More than 50% of Chilean salmon farmers don't have life insurance and 75% don't have disability insurance.

"The demands made by these Chilean workers are completely within reason," said Andrea Kavanagh, director, Pure Salmon Campaign. "They just want to operate under the same standards and rights that apply to their Norwegian counterparts. We would hope that Marine Harvest shares a similar desire."

The letter signatories demand that they can negotiate collectively, in a single negotiation process, so that they can achieve homogeneity of base salaries and social benefits. Currently, Marine Harvest Chilean workers earn up to 374% less than their Norwegian counterparts.

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The Pure Salmon Campaign is a global project of the National Environmental Trust. It has partners in the United States, Canada, Europe and Chile all working to improve the way salmon is produced. For more information, go to www.puresalmon.org.