Canada Funds MSX-Resistant Oyster Seed Development in PEI
A Canadian research project is working to develop oyster strains resistant to Multinucleate Sphere Unknown (MSX) disease, a significant threat to shellfish aquaculture. The MSX disease has caused devastating losses in oyster-growing regions, including mortality rates exceeding 95 percent in parts of western PEI.
The project, led by Atlantic Aqua Farms and partnering with Onda and CAT Genetics Canada, aims to equip the industry with new tools to better understand, predict, and combat the disease. This includes generating an MSX disease model and identifying key biological markers associated with oyster immune responses.
The $1.1 million project is funded by Canada's Ocean Supercluster, which is investing $471,000, while the balance comes from project partners. With the oyster industry valued at approximately $60 million annually in Prince Edward Island alone, this project will help secure a sustainable domestic food source and grow the ocean economy.