The government of the Canadian province of Prince Edward Island has announced two programs to support the region’s commercial oyster industry, which has struggled in the face of disease.
Between the two programs, the government is providing CAD 9.2 million (USD 6.6 million, EUR 5.7 million) in funding for the sector.
“Our island’s oyster industry is facing unprecedented challenges with the emergence of MSX and Dermo. These programs are designed to provide short-term relief to help oyster growers and processors manage immediate impacts during this period of uncertainty,” Minister of Fisheries, Tourism, Sport, and Culture Zack Bell said in a release.
The first new initiative, the Oyster Growers Income Stabilization Program, will provide financial support to the oyster growers whose income has been hardest hit by disease. The Oyster Processors Inventory Mitigation Program, meanwhile, will provide financial support to oyster processors that offsets the risk of holding inventory. The government began accepting submissions for the programs on 5 January.
In its announcement, the PEI government claimed to have invested CAD 12 million (USD 8.7 million, EUR 7.4 million) in response to MSX and Dermo, launching monitoring and testing programs, purchasing nursery equipment, offering retraining for individuals looking to leave the sector, and working with industry on mitigation projects. PEI is the second-largest oyster producing province in Eastern Canada, landing CAD 27 million (USD 19.5 million, EUR 16.7 million) worth of oysters in 2024. The government estimates that there are roughly 250 active oyster fishers, 300 oyster farmers, and 18 oyster processors in the province.
“While these programs are being offered by the provincial government and provide much needed support for those impacted in the short term, we are also committed to working with the Government of Canada, through [the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency], to provide support that advances innovation, long-term planning, and the development of a science-based roadmap to address MSX impacts, while also supporting joint work to future-proof the industry,” Bell said.
