The axe is hanging over 59 further roles at Sealord, as the company proposes more change

The seafood giant's proposing making its Nelson wetfish and by-products factories and fresh fish trawler seasonal rather than year-round.

It follows the proposed closure of its coated-fish factory earlier this month.

CEO Doug Paulin says it's driven by the need to adapt to the challenging economic environment with escalating operational costs, deflated global commodity prices for frozen fish, decreasing volume and ever-increasing regulatory compliance costs.

He says the cost of doing business in New Zealand's increased substantially and without change would threaten the viability of the Group.