Two longstanding members of the shellfish industry were recognized for their contributions to the growth and development of the industry on Friday during the International Prince Edward Island Shellfish Festival.
John MacLeod of Vernon and Sandy Mills of Lower Newton were named as this year’s recipients of the Provincial Minister’s Shellfish Recognition Awards. The awards were presented by Agriculture, Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister Jim Bagnall. Nominations for the award are made by industry organizations and the public.
“The Prince Edward Island shellfish industry has earned an international reputation for the high quality of its products, and that is due to the hard work and dedication of people like John MacLeod and Sandy Mills,” said Mr. Bagnall. “On behalf of everyone in the industry, I want to extend congratulations to them on their outstanding contributions and wish them continued success.”
MacLeod has been involved in the shellfish industry for the past 50 years as an oyster grower and harvester. He maintains oyster leases in the Vernon and Orwell Rivers, and has been an innovator and pioneer in the conservation and protection of species. He was instrumental in establishing the Orwell/Vernon River Watershed Management Association which has been successful in reducing the amount of contamination in the rivers. He is a longstanding member of the Queens County and Prince Edward Island shellfish associations and the PEI Aquaculture Alliance.
Mr. Mills has been active in the industry for more than 23 years, first as a harvester and now as a crew supervisor. He began working with Joe VanDenBremt, the province’s pioneer mussel farmer, and now works with United Mussel Farms as a boat captain, supervisor and diver. He is involved in all aspect of the operation, including spat collection, harvesting and predator control. He is the first employee of an aquaculture business to receive this award.
“The hard work of employees is key to the success of any business,” said Mr. Bagnall.
The total landed value of shellfish, including mussels, oysters, clams and quahaugs, is approximately $30 million annually. About 3000 people are involved in the shellfish industry.
Mr. Bagnall commended the members of the industry who were involved in the Shellfish Festival over the past weekend which featured high quality shellfish to thousands of visitors.
BACKGROUNDER ATTACHED
Provincial Minister’s Shellfish Recognition Awards
JOHN D MACLEOD
John D. MacLeod has been deeply involved in the shellfish industry for 50 years. As an oyster grower and harvester, he has made a tremendous contribution to the industry through his conservation efforts and protection of species.
John D. MacLeod was born in Vernon in 1938. Vernon has always been John’s home, and he is deeply connected to the Vernon River. John was raised on a farm and on the river. His parents introduced and involved him in every aspect of their farm and oyster operations.
John purchased his first oyster lease in Vernon River about 40 years ago. He has always had 2-3 oyster leases in Vernon and Orwell Rivers, as well as spat collection and growing. Along with oyster fishing, John has always operated a farm, growing potatoes, tobacco and raising beef cattle. John is married to Jean, and they have two children and 5 grandchildren. John and his son David operate the family farm together. John and Jean’s daughter Kim lives close by and is here with her parents today.
In 1994, John was instrumental in forming the Orwell/Vernon River Watershed Management Association. The main objective of the association was to reduce the amount of contamination in the two rivers by working with local farmers to create fencing and buffer zones for their livestock. Great strides were made by the association in reducing contamination in the rivers which will have a lasting effect on the local environment.
John has been an innovator and pioneer in conservation and protection of species. John has dedicated many personal hours and dollars over the years to the protection of the Orwell and Vernon Rivers, and he continues to work very hard to conserve the rivers and experiment with growing innovations. He has been a long standing member of the Queens County Shellfish Association, the PEI Aquaculture Alliance and the PEI Shellfish Association.
SANDY MILLS
Sandy Mills has been very active in the mussel industry for over 23 years, first as a harvester and now as a crew supervisor.
When Sandy left high school, his first job was a trucker for Island Shellfish. He eventually moved out onto the water. Sandy began working with Joe VanDenBrent, PEI’s pioneer mussel farmer early in the 1980's. He was then employed by Greg Keith and is now working with United Mussel Farms. He has always been very dedicated, working countless hours for his various employers over the years.
As a worker in the field, Sandy puts in between 60-80 hours a week as a crew supervisor/boat captain in all aspects of the operations - spat collection, harvesting, predator control. He has also been the diver on site since 1996. Although Sandy did not “choose” this industry as a career, it has become his life and career. He has worked very hard in many aspects of the daily operations of a mussel business. He has worked his way to becoming the captain of a boat, a supervisor, and a diver. Sandy says he loves the freedom of being out on the water every day, and that he couldn’t imagine doing anything else. He is very optimistic about the future of the mussel industry with good people working towards finding solutions to today’s issues.
Sandy is the first employee of an aquaculture business to receive this award. The hard work of employees is key to the success of any business.
Sandy lives in Lower Newtown with his wife Jeanette and two children.