Henderson Calls on Province to Release Overdue Oyster Industry Recovery Plan

With Prince Edward Island’s oyster industry still facing the impacts of MSX and Dermo, Opposition Fisheries Critic Robert Henderson is calling on the provincial government to release its long-term recovery strategy, which was expected by the end of September.

“Oyster growers, fishers and processors have been waiting for some clarity on where we go from here,” said Henderson, MLA for O’Leary-Inverness. “They are trying to keep people working, pay their bills and salvage what they can from their leases. They need to know what the province’s longer-term plan is.”

In April, the province awarded MRSB a $181,484 contract to develop a long-term strategy for the recovery of all components of PEI’s oyster industry from the impacts of MSX and Dermo. The report was expected to be completed in September.

Henderson said the need for a clear path forward is becoming increasingly urgent as the industry continues to face significant financial pressures. The federal government has begun its public oyster licence buyback, while some provincial supports remain difficult to access and applications for the Oyster Industry Interest Relief Program do not open until January 2027.

Henderson has also repeatedly asked government about the status of PEI’s participation in the renewed Atlantic Fisheries Fund, which could provide support for innovation, research and other projects aimed at rebuilding the industry. The fund is cost-shared, with 70 per cent provided by the federal government.

“There are some encouraging signs out there,” Henderson said. “We’re hearing positive feedback about the growth of imported American oyster spat and local Malpeque spat, and the PEI Shellfish Association’s work to expand local spat collection is showing promise. There are even signs of oyster spat returning to some former reef areas in Bedeque Bay.”

“That makes it even more important that we have a plan,” Henderson said. “Release the MRSB strategy, move forward on the Atlantic Fisheries Fund and provide interest relief now. This industry has a future, but the people working in it need support to get from where we are today to where we know it can be again.”