One of the shellfish producers that will be at the International Shellfish Festival is Prince Edward Aqua Farms. The New London company is a major supplier of mussels, oysters, clams and one of my favourites—quahogs. Its cultivated mussels are grown on rope in the bays and inlets surrounding PEI; they are sold under the brand name Island Gold and are available fresh year-round, harvested by boat during summer and through the ice in winter.

The company also produces two grades of Malpeque oysters (brand names include North Shore Gold, Island Gold and Osprey Point)—both wild and farmed. Wild soft-shell clams are harvested by local fishers; quahogs are also harvested in the wild, using long clam rakes in shallow water.

The company blends quality products with ethical business practices. While aquaculture operations can have a negative impact on the environment, Prince Edward Aqua Farms has demonstrated a commitment to create a sustainable shellfish industry.

The company uses a filtration process to reduce the possibility that the larvae of potentially invasive species can get into the watershed. Its waste recovery system collects “mussel mud”—which used to go back into the Island’s waters in the form of heavily silted clay—for potential use by both large- and small-scale farmers and gardeners as an organic fertilizer. The product is still in the research and development stage but in the meantime, excessive mussel waste is not detrimentally changing the composition of the natural environment.

Prince Edward Aqua’s products are available in many retail locations on the Island and across North America. The company also offers farm gate service Monday through Saturday at its New London plant.