Two pioneers of the Prince Edward Island shellfish industry were honoured Friday for their long-standing contributions to this important sector of the Island economy.
Fenton Boylan of Poplar Grove and Joe Van Den Bremt of East Royalty are this year's recipients of the Provincial Minister's Shellfish Recognition Awards. Premier Pat Binns presented the awards during the opening of the Prince Edward Island International Shellfish Festival.
"It is because of the hard work and dedication of industry pioneers like Mr. Boylan and Mr. Van Den Bremt that Prince Edward Island is world-renowned today for its quality oysters and mussels. I am pleased to have this opportunity to recognize their tremendous contribution to the development of the shellfish industry," said Premier Binns.
Fenton Boylan
When Fenton Boylan first started fishing oysters, a good day yielded 20 pecks which would pay about $8. That was nearly 50 years ago. While seeing oyster landings decline in the late 1960s and early 1970s, Mr. Boylan remained dedicated to the development of the industry.
He was the first president of the Prince County Shellfish Association and worked closely with friend Ernie Beagan under the PEI Oysterman's Association to present the fishers' ideas to government. Wanting to see more oysters left on the beds to spawn and create more spat to revitalize the fishery, Mr. Boylan lobbied government to increase the size limit of market oysters from 2.5 to 3.0 inches - a measure he achieved in 1974.
Mr. Fenton is responsible for much of the oyster development work that has been carried out in the waters of the Wilmot and Dunk Rivers in the Summerside area. Helping allay the fears of some of his fellow fishers, he worked with government officials to plan and carry out oyster enhancement projects. His leadership resulted in a rebound of oyster stocks. The Summerside area is now the major oyster producing area in the province, supporting more than 400 fishers each year.
Joe Van Den Bremt
Twenty-five years ago, Joe Van Den Bremt harvested the first cultured mussels from the waters of Prince Edward Island, launching a new industry that today employs more than 1,500 Islanders and has an economic impact of approximately $50 million annually.
After a successful career in tobacco farming, in 1975 Mr. Van Den Bremt began to investigate a future in mussels, a major industry in his native country of Belgium. Finding that wild mussels in Prince Edward Island were of poor quality, he spent countless hours researching techniques to grow cultivated mussels. Working closely with provincial and federal government officials, Mr. Van Den Bremt hung PEI's first mussel seed collectors on rafts in the Cardigan River in 1977. He collected seed and put the Island's first mussel socks - ones he made himself with mesh and staples - on bouyed long lines that fall. A year later, he was harvesting market size mussels.
Mr. Van Den Bremt sold his mussel farm in 1990 to long-time friend Russell Dockendorff but he remains as passionate about mussels today as he was when he grew his first crop 25 years ago. He continues to contribute to the PEI mussel industry, sharing his expertise at conferences and workshops, and volunteering each year at the Prince Edward Island International Shellfish Festival.
The Provincial Minister's Shellfish Recognition Awards are presented annually in conjunction with the Prince Edward Island International Shellfish Festival. This year's festival was kicked off on CTV's Canada AM Friday morning and continues at Peake's Wharf in Charlottetown throughout the weekend. Highlights include cooking demonstrations, oyster shucking competitions, the first International Prince Edward Island Shellfish Chef Challenge, as well as top Island entertainment and plenty of quality PEI shellfish to enjoy.
Revenues from sales of Island shellfish at the festival assist the festival hosts, the Prince Edward Island Shellfish Association and the Prince Edward Island Aquaculture Alliance, in the work they carry out on behalf of the industry.