News ReleasesHOME / GOVERNMENT / NEWS RELEASES / Tuesday, October 31, 2006  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Agriculture, Fisheries & Aquaculture FUNDING FOR INVASIVE SPECIES RESEARCH PROJECT CHARLOTTETOWN, PEI -- A research project is now underway in the Montague/Brudenell, St. Mary’s Bay and Cardigan River systems on the impacts of the vase tunicate on the mussel industry. The project is sponsored by the PEI Aquaculture Alliance and will receive up to $60,000 in funding under the provincial government’s Aquaculture and Fisheries Research Initiative. The Aquaculture Alliance has hired a biologist to lead the project and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Aquaculture is contributing technical support and use of equipment. The development of mitigation strategies for the vase tunicate has been identified as a priority of the mussel industry. The potential impacts of this new species of tunicate on the mussel industry are a concern and need to be addressed immediately. Under the project, the tunicate life cycle, impact on mussel condition and growth, impact on mussel farming activities, and mitigation strategies will all be investigated. The research project began in May and will run until March 2007. Results are being communicated to the industry. Hon. Jim Bagnall, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Aquaculture, toured mussel leases in the Montague/Brudenell area recently and was given an overview of the research project. “I am pleased to see how closely the Aquaculture Alliance, the mussel growers in Montague/Brudenell and staff of my Department are working to find solutions to the tunicate issue,” he said. “I am confident that this close working relationship and continued investment in research and development will assist the industry to address the challenges posed by the vase tunicate and other species of tunicates impacting our industry.” The Aquaculture and Fisheries Research Initiative provides industry associations, private businesses, public institutions and/or individual fishers and aquaculturists with increased access to applied and developmental research to address priorities and opportunities in the industry. For further information on this and other similar projects, please contact Kelly Cantelo, AFRI Program Officer, at 368-5790.
For additional information, contact Wayne MacKinnon. | ||||||
