Prince Edward Island’s oyster industry is in trouble.
That isn’t an exaggeration. Oyster growers across the Island are reporting serious losses from MSX and dermo, two diseases that are harmless to humans but devastating to oyster beds. The diseases have spread through oyster stocks and left many producers facing an uncertain future. Some growers are reporting mortality rates exceeding 50 per cent (more in West Prince). We still have oysters, but healthy ones are harder to find and even more precious to fishers and producers. Families that have worked the water for generations are working harder than ever and wondering what comes next.
This should concern all of us.
Oysters are more than a menu item on P.E.I. They are part of our identity. They support families, coastal communities, tourism operators, restaurants, processors and exporters. They are one of the products that help define us around the world, right up there with the potato, the mussel and, yes, the lobster.
Yet at the very moment the oyster industry is struggling, something doesn’t seem right.
Pricing disconnect
I have spoken with people in the industry who tell me that some growers are receiving as little as 50 cents per oyster, while the cost for the same raw oyster in a restaurant has increased significantly lately. Some restaurants are charging as much as four dollars for a single raw oyster. At a time when growers are fighting for survival, that disconnect deserves a serious conversation. It smells like price gouging! Hopefully restaurants will take note and reduce their price.
I’m not criticizing restaurants. Many are facing rising costs of their own. My concern is simple: when oyster prices rise too high, demand falls. At a time when the industry needs support, we should be looking for ways to put more oysters on more plates.
When the price of an oyster climbs high enough, people order something else: a plate of nachos, a salad or another appetizer.
That doesn’t help oyster growers. It doesn’t help consumers discover P.E.I. oysters or help an industry that needs support right now.
Moment of crisis
Another factor is how retail sales of oysters may negatively affect P.E.I.’s oyster brand. Growers I’ve spoken to are worried that MSX and dermo may cut the shelf life of oysters sold directly to the public through grocery stores or retail outlets. The risk of someone shucking a dead oyster at home may be much higher, as consumers sometimes lose track of shelf life, and this could lead to a negative brand identity.
With a dwindling supply, priority should be given to sales of P.E.I. oysters to restaurants, where shuckers (oyster ambassadors) can weed out possible poor quality, and sell them at a price that drives demand. These ambassadors can tell the story of the industry, promote growth, ensure quality and build support for the industry’s comeback.
I believe that this moment of crisis is an opportunity for Islanders to come together.
I’m not talking about another government subsidy or a complicated new program. I’m talking about Islanders doing what Islanders do best: supporting each other.
The call to action is simple: Eat more oysters. Try them for the first time. Order a half dozen instead of skipping them. Bring visitors to a local oyster bar. Celebrate one of the products that makes P.E.I. special.
Restaurants could help by featuring special pricing, introducing tasting menus, or creating promotions that make oysters more accessible. Industry and media organizations could help tell the story of the families behind the product and promote ways of supporting them. Governments could increase marketing efforts around the industry that help grow demand and look for more creative ways of supporting fishers and processors to remain in the industry and help it grow back.
Oyster recovery fund
At our food business, we’re going to do our part. This season, we will contribute one per cent of food sales to the P.E.I. Oyster Recovery Fund to distribute directly to fishers in need. We raised over $10,000 for Anderson House through Burger Love so there is no reason why we can’t double this for those in need. We will also be promoting our favourite oyster spots on the Island. Even though it may direct customers to our competition, there are some things that are more important.
I hope other restaurants will join us and set aside some funds for those fishers in need.
The world is your oyster, as the saying goes. And right now, P.E.I.’s oyster growers need Islanders to prove it. Growers have spent generations feeding us, employing us, and helping define who we are as an Island. Now they need our help.
It can start with what I call “the breakfast of champions:” Six tasty, fresh Island oysters!