After initial tests in Covehead Bay, a harvester designed to remove sea lettuce from Prince Edward Island estuaries is now conducting trials in Mill River, says Fisheries Aquaculture and Rural Development Minister Neil LeClair.
“This is a wonderful opportunity to work with the PEI Shellfish Association to determine if this harvester can remove enough sea lettuce to improve the water quality in a valuable shellfish growing area like Mill River,” said Minister LeClair. “I am pleased that government is able to work together with the Shellfish Association and Trout Unlimited Prince County Chapter, a member of the PEI Watershed Alliance, to conduct this trial.”
Trials in Mill River will be conducted over the next few weeks with the sea lettuce being removed by the harvester and trucked to farmers to spread on land as a nutrient supplement.
Heavy sea lettuce build up has existed in the Mill River for many years, growing into dense mats during the warmer summer months. When some of the sea plant begins to die, it decomposes removing oxygen from the water which can result in an anoxic event occurring that may impact fish and shellfish.
The provincial government is partnering with Prince Edward Island Shellfish Association and the Prince Edward Island Watershed Alliance to run the pilot project. The trial will examine the effectiveness of removing sea lettuce from estuaries and will also explore the potential of value-added opportunities that may exist with harvested sea lettuce.
“The results of the trials will go a long way to help plan how best to deal with the sea lettuce issue across the province,” said Mr. LeClair.