One of the Highlands and Islands' biggest employers is to cut 80 jobs across its operations.

Marine Harvest confirmed on Tuesday the jobs will go as part of a "restructuring plan".

The job losses are split across the company's operations with 44 jobs going in Lochaber, 12 in Mallaig, 11 in Skye and Lochalsh, four in Wester Ross, three in Lewis, two in Argyll, two in South Uist and two in Rosyth, Fife.

The confirmation comes after the company announced it January it was to review its business structure.

It was thought up to 100 jobs could go. A 30-day consultation has now been completed with staff, who were notified of the final outcome this week.

Ben Hadfield, managing director of Marine Harvest Scotland and global feed director, said: "We are sorry to be losing some highly qualified and skilled people, but we have to restructure the business to make it more efficient and sustainable.

"By taking this action now we can be more certain of maintaining jobs in the future."

Marine Harvest operates four hatcheries, five freshwater loch sites and 48 sea farms.

Live fish are harvested at Mallaig and processed at the Blar Mhor processing plant in Fort William. The company has offices at Fort William and Rosyth.

Plans to create a feed plant in Scotland will continue as part of the restructuring of the business, which will create additional jobs. The preferred site for the new feed site is not yet known.

Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch MSP Dave Thompson said: "I understand that Lochaber and Mallaig will lose 44 and 12 respectively, and that Skye and Lochalsh will lose 11.

"I will ask the Scottish Government again to provide maximum assistance to help these folk back into work and to support the local area in the interim.

"I will also urge Highland Council and the Scottish Government to expedite the processing of the planning application for Marine Harvest’s proposed feed plant on the west coast which seem likely to reverse these cuts when it is up and running."