Fisheries, Aquaculture and Rural Development Minister Neil LeClair today announced that the department will invest $100,000 this year in oyster enhancement projects across Prince Edward Island. The department is partnering with the Prince Edward Island Shellfish Association to increase the quality and quantity of oysters on public beds.
“I would like to recognize the ongoing contributions of the Shellfish Association to the oyster enhancement program,” said Minister LeClair. “The financial and technical assistance provided by my department will help to ensure that the industry becomes more sustainable and productive.”
Projects being carried out this year include collecting oyster seed; spreading seed and one-year-old juvenile oysters on public beds; spreading oyster shells to create new beds; cultivating oyster beds to increase natural recruitment; and relaying oysters from intertidal areas where winter kill may occur to beds where survival is higher. One particular initiative taking place in the Bideford River involves the spreading of oyster broodstock in the upper portion of the river to enhance the natural settlement of oyster spat.
In addition to the financial and technical assistance provided by the department, labour support for the enhancement program is provided through the department’s Employment Development Agency.
There are several hundred active oyster fishers in the province. The industry employs 1,500 people in total, with an economic value of $15 million.
“The Rural Action Plan has identified the oyster industry as one area that provides opportunities for jobs and growth in rural communities across Prince Edward Island,” said Minister LeClair. “There are many opportunities to grow the industry, and that is why my department has attached a high priority to oyster enhancement activities.”