It’s been a year since multinucleate sphere unknown (MSX) was first detected in Prince Edward Island oysters.
Harmless to humans, however MSX is deadly to oysters.
“The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has determined through tracing and testing that MSX is already present, or highly likely to be present, in most marine waterways across Prince Edward Island (P.E.I.),” said CFIA media relations.
“With the spring oyster fishery now underway, we are receiving increasing reports of significant oyster mortalities attributed to MSX in P.E.I. waters.”
MSX was first detected in P.E.I. oysters on July 11, 2024. On Feb. 7, the CFIA declared P.E.I. as an area where MSX is known or is highly likely to occur.
“This declaration does not mean that every oyster population in P.E.I. has MSX. Instead, it signals that the movement of P.E.I. oysters which are not yet ready for commercial sale will be regulated according to the established Domestic Movement Control Program (DMCP). Under the DMCP, P.E.I. oysters that have been grown to commercial size and processed for human consumption can still be exported and sold from P.E.I. However, oysters which are not ready for the commercial market are not permitted to be moved off P.E.I. for growing purposes. The Province of P.E.I. and DFO will continue to use movement controls under the established Introductions and Transfer (I&T) licensing process to allow for the safe movement of oysters within P.E.I. This declaration simplifies the CFIA permitting process for P.E.I. oyster growers, harvesters and processors, as CFIA permits will no longer be required for movement of oysters or gear within the declared area,” said the CFIA when issuing the statement.
While the CFIA has ceased active sample collection for MSX on the Island, the Agency continues to respond to reports of sick or dead oysters, they said.
“The Province of P.E.I. is continuing its own monitoring efforts, including the collection, sampling and testing of oysters from various local waterways. Additionally, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), in collaboration with the CFIA, will maintain movement controls within P.E.I. through the Introductions and Transfers licensing program. These measures aim to protect areas where MSX has not been detected and to help manage its spread in affected waters,” said CFIA media relations.
MSX is impacting both the wild oyster fishery, as well as farmed oysters.
Bob MacLeod, president of the P.E.I. Shellfish Association which represents the wild oyster industry, said as a counter measure, the association is in the process of setting up a nursery for oyster seed.
“This is our start. It’s not enough for what we need but we’ve got to start somewhere,” said MacLeod. “We’re trying to get it going in early June. We bought a new upwell that is going to hold about a million oysters. We have a smaller older upwell and a lend of three more smaller ones. We hope to be looking after about two million oysters. It’s big for us to get going on this, get the infrastructure in place. It’s only a drop in the bucket to what we really need to bring it back, but we’ve got to start somewhere.”
MacLeod said it will take about a year for the oysters to grow, going from the hatchery to cages to being released in the wild.
“Right now, we have about 10 million oysters in our cages that were caught last year in the wild. We put them in cages over the winter and this summer when they’re about the size of a quarter or bigger we spread them all over the island,” said MacLeod.
“We’re not sure come July where we’re going to be able to spread them, whether there is any hope to put them back in Bedeque. Bedeque Wilmont was the heart of the wild oyster industry for years and years and generations. That was completely lost, that whole area. That’s what’s hurting our industry so bad,” said MacLeod.
In 2022/23, MacLeod said P.E.I. oyster farmers and fishermen sold about 75 million oysters total with upwards of 40 million coming from the wild industry. “There are certain rivers we can fish in the spring and certain rivers we can fish in fall. MSX puts pressures on the other rivers,” he said adding there are probably 200 active licences in the wild oyster commercial fishery.
According to P.E.I. government statistics in 2023, the landed volume and value of oysters was 13,993,897 pounds worth $23,790,000. There are 788 oyster and clam leases (bottom) and 357 off-bottom oyster leases.
The CFIA currently regulates two other areas for MSX through the Domestic Movement Control Program (DMCP): one in Nova Scotia’s Bras d’Or Lake and another along the coast of British Columbia.
