Province paying more to keep public oyster beds viable, association says

The new P.E.I. Shellfish Association president believes the province will be paying more this year to make sure public oyster beds are seeded.

Seeding of the public oyster beds is typicallymanaged by the association, with about $100,000 in funding from the province.

Kenneth Arsenault, president of theP.E.I. Shellfish Association, said this year the province didn't provide funding, and is instead taking over the work, citingconcerns about the way the group has been managing its record keeping.

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"It's too late in the year for the association to do anything, but the province is going ahead with a project for this year," saidArsenault.

"That'll be it for this year. We have a lot of work over the winter to regroup and start fresh next year."

The province, meanwhile, said it does expect to be paying more, but would not comment on numbers since the tender process remains open.

Province put out a RFP

The province put out a request for proposals on Friday tobuy approximately one-inch oysters froman oyster grower.

The RFP closesSept. 22, and once the contract is awarded, the association will help the province spread the oyster seedon the public grounds.

Keeping the beds afloat is necessary to keep P.E.I.'s$10 million wild oyster fishery afloat, Arsenault said. He said right now demand for oysters is out-stripping supply, and the fishermen and the industry don't want to lose ground.

Three priorities for fishery

In regrouping for next year, he added,there are three primary goals for the association number one is"becoming financially stable again."

Other goalsare getting oysters back on the public grounds, and getting the trust of the publish fishery back.

"I think it's going to be a good thing for the future of the industry," Arsenault said.

"There seems to be a lot more interest now from members and from fisherman to make sure stuff like this doesn't happen again."

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