Atlantic Aqua Farms in Borden-Carleton, Prince Edward Island, is gearing up to bring in oyster seed from the United States that may offer resistance to disease. The company has commenced accepting orders for 50 million oyster seed created by Rutgers University in New Jersey, with the goal of combatting MSX and dermo, the two diseases that have severely impacted the local oyster industry.
Meredith White, the director of hatchery operations at Atlantic Aqua Farms, mentioned that discussions have already taken place with local companies and growers, and there is a high demand anticipated for the seed. While there is a potential to produce more than 50 million seed, White emphasized that availability cannot be guaranteed this year. The company is ramping up its production capacity to a commercial scale, aiming to offer seed for sale to other farms starting next year.
Although Atlantic Aqua Farms intends to use the seed for its own oyster production, there is also significant interest from other growers like James Power, the general manager of Raspberry Point Oysters in Cavendish. Power expressed the heartbreaking situation faced by the industry, with millions of oysters succumbing to disease since mid-November. Despite the challenges, Power affirmed that they are working on a plan to navigate through the crisis and are considering building a hatchery to produce disease-resistant seed.
Similarly, Atlantic Aqua Farms is exploring the possibility of developing a hatchery for disease-resistant seed production. White highlighted the time-intensive process, mentioning that it typically takes six to nine years to achieve MSX and dermo resistance through three generations of seed selection. Nonetheless, the efforts provide hope for a future crop that could benefit oyster farmers in the region.
As the industry grapples with the current crisis, the import of disease-resistant seed offers a promising solution for the long-term sustainability of oyster farming in Prince Edward Island.