P.E.I. oyster industry at risk as disease crisis worsens

Islanders sound the alarm

Oyster fishers, growers, and processors filled a legislative standing committee meeting in Charlottetown on Thursday, warning MLAs that the sector is on the brink. Leaders described the situation as “dire” and said livelihoods across Prince Edward Island are at stake.

Threat from MSX and dermo

The crisis began in July 2024, when MSX was first detected in Bedeque Bay. A year later, dermo appeared in Egmont Bay. Neither affects human consumption, but both diseases are lethal to oysters. Mortality rates have reached up to 90 per cent in some areas, leaving harvesters with little product and no reliable income.

Pressure mounting on families

With sales collapsing, fishers say they cannot meet loan payments or provide for their families. “The majority of their product is dying,” said Martin O’Brien, president of the P.E.I. Oyster Processors Association. “Their banking institutions are saying their payments are due … it’s a pretty dire situation.”

Demands for immediate relief

Industry groups are calling for targeted programs, including hatcheries for disease-resistant seed, loan deferrals, wage subsidies, and risk management tools similar to those offered to agriculture. They are also asking for extended EI eligibility and support for processors holding oysters until markets recover.

Government weighs options

The province says $2.72 million has been approved through the Aquaculture Contingency Fund, with additional measures under discussion. “We remain committed to working closely with industry partners and the federal government to ensure support is targeted, timely, and effective,” the province said in a statement.

Uncertain path forward

Industry leaders say the next generation of oyster harvesters could be lost if action is delayed. “How does that look for my kids in the future?” O’Brien asked. With many Islanders having returned home to work in aquaculture, growers fear the crisis could drive families away again if the industry collapses.

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