Lennox Island First Nation to reopen shellfish hatchery

An 86-year-old shellfish hatchery in western P.E.I. is being revitalized with assistance from the federal and provincial governments.

The operation on the Bideford River in Ellerslie, P.E.I., first opened as an oyster hatchery in 1930. It has since shut down. Now known as the Bideford Marine Centre, it was recently purchased by the Lennox Island First Nation whichwill operate it as P.E.I.'s only shellfish hatchery.

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"Feels pretty good to give back to our community and hopefully create some jobs," saidDawnCampbell-Sapier, an employee of the hatchery.

Campbell-Sapier and three other employees are already working to begin production, even as renovations inside the centre are underway.

Brood stock of oysters and quahogs are on site in temperature-controlled salt water tanks.

Rows of glass laboratory beakers contain strains of microscopic algae that will be produced in commercial quantities to feed the molluscs.

Next spring, seed stock will be transferred to holding tanks in the BidefordRiver to continue growing.

'Pretty big demand'

Hatchery staff sayseed may be ready for sale by next June, and demand is high.

"It's seems to be a pretty big demand so we're excited about that right now," said Mike Randall, executive director of theLennoxIsland DevelopmentCorporation.

A quarter of a million dollars from government

The project to reopen the Bideford Marine Centre will receive support from four different government programs.

• ACOA: $161,843.
• Aboriginal Business and Entrepreneurship Development: $50,000.
• Aboriginal Aquaculture in Canada Initiative: $42,000.
• Province of P.E.I.: $78,000 worth of equipment.

Total government support is $248,683.

Once the hatchery has established oyster seed production, it plans to diversify into new species of shellfish seed production includingbay scallops, sea-scallops, quahogs and soft-shell clams.

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