News Release
 

For Immediate Release
August 13, 2004

First Step to Restoring Oyster Fishery receives Government
of Canada Funding

Baddeck, NS- A project aimed at reclaiming the oyster fishery in the Bras d’Or Lakes was announced today by the Honourable Mark Eyking, MP for
Sydney-Victoria.

This project will provide support for the Bras d’Or Stewardship Society to seed five million mature oysters being seeded in approximately seventeen hectares of public oyster fishing areas.

In 2002, an outbreak of the microscopic parasite called MSX infected oyster stocks in Cape Breton’s Bras d’Or Lakes. To combat MSX, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) issued an oyster fishing ban on Cape Breton’s east coast. This negatively impacted the fishery, which was worth approximately $900,000 annually.

This project is an innovative process that will be ongoing for approximately
1.5 years, and will introduce parasite free stock. The oysters will be monitored by DFO scientists and others to ensure that the parasite has not resurfaced in the new stock. At the end of this process it is hoped that the fishery can be
re-opened. The project will result in short term employment for 10 people, and enhance prospects for approximately 300 commercial fishers.

“This is the first step of a plan to restore the oyster fishery and enhance the livelihood of those who have been negatively impacted by the ban,” says
Mark Eyking, MP for Sydney-Victoria. “The Government of Canada is pleased to fund this project to help re-establish yet another viable industry here in Cape Breton.”

“We are hoping for the reproduction of a disease free oyster, and an increase in the size of the oyster population,” says Pat Bates, Chairman of the
Bras d’Or Stewardship Society. “We want to ensure that the industry can be sustained and grown.”

The total estimated cost of the project is $275,000. ECBC will make a
non-repayable contribution of $249,975 through Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency’s Strategic Community Investment Fund (SCIF).

The Strategic Community Investment Fund provides $135 million over five years to help communities in Atlantic Canada create an environment that encourages and enhances economic development.

Enterprise Cape Breton Corporation offers programs in support of economic development initiatives and is responsible for delivering ACOA's programs on Cape Breton Island and in the Mulgrave area.

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FOR BROADCAST USE ONLY:

A PROJECT AIMED AT RESTORING THE OYSTER FISHERY IN THE BRAS D’OR LAKES WAS ANNOUNCED TODAY BY THE HONORABLE MARK EYKING, MP FOR SYDNEY-VICTORIA.

IN 2002, A MICROSCOPIC PARASITE CALLED MSX INFECTED OYSTER STOCKS IN THE LAKES CAUSING THE DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES AND OCEANS (DFO) TO BAN OYSTER FISHING.

THIS PROJECT WILL PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR THE BRAS D’OR STEWARDSHIP SOCIETY TO RESTOCK AND MONITOR FIVE MILLION MATURE OYSTERS IN VARIOUS AREAS OF THE LAKES.

“THIS IS THE FIRST STEP OF A PLAN TO RESTORE THE OYSTER INDUSTRY AND ENHANCE THE LIVELIHOOD OF THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN NEGATIVELY IMPACTED BY THE BAN,” SAYS MARK EYKING, MP FOR SYDNEY-VICTORIA. “THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA IS PLEASED TO FUND THIS PROJECT TO HELP RE-ESTABLISH A VIABLE INDUSTRY HERE IN CAPE BRETON.”

THE TOTAL ESTIMATED COST OF THE PROJECT IS $275,000. ECBC WILL MAKE A NON-REPAYABLE CONTRIBUTION OF $249,975 THROUGH ATLANTIC CANADA OPPORTUNITIES AGENCY’S STRATEGIC COMMUNITY INVESTMENT FUND
(SCIF).


FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT:

Stephen Heckbert
Office of the Honourable Joseph McGuire
Tel: (613) 948-7293

D.A. Landry
ECBC Communications
(902) 564-3617

Pat Bates
Chairman, Bras d’Or Stewardship Society
(902) 567-0827