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Fisher surprised by number of dead shellfish found on P.E.I. beach

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P.E.I. resident Ricky White was shocked by what he noticed when arriving on the seaside along with his pail and shovel to reap some quahogs just lately. 

The quahogger was making ready for a night of digging at low tide close to Mermaid, however to his shock, a lot of the clams he discovered on the seaside have been useless.  

“They’re all over the place,” White thought. “Far more than normal.”  

He turned to his colleague – a quahogger of 30 years. He had a glance of shock on his face as effectively.  

“I’ve been fishing for 30 years, and I’ve by no means seen this many,” he stated. 

Here is an open clam which is dead on the beach near Mermaid on May 25. P.E.I. quahogger Ricky White has spent the past seven years digging up clams, telling SaltWire he has never seen this many dead clams on the beach. - Contributed
Right here is an open clam which is useless on the seaside close to Mermaid on Could 25. P.E.I. quahogger Ricky White has spent the previous seven years digging up clams, telling SaltWire he has by no means seen this many useless clams on the seaside. – Contributed

White acquired on the telephone and contacted the provincial Setting Division’s forests, fish and wildlife division. 

He stated he gave them the placement and was instructed an investigator would keep up a correspondence with him.  


“We see plenty of useless shells on the shore usually, however by no means like this.”  – Ricky White 


“It simply looks like much more useless than normal,” White stated throughout an interview with SaltWire on Could 12. “We see plenty of useless shells on the shore usually, however by no means like this.”  

Dead clams, quahogs and mussels cover the beach at low tide near Mermaid on May 25. - Contributed
Useless clams, quahogs and mussels cowl the seaside at low tide close to Mermaid on Could 25. – Contributed

White stated he has a couple of theories as to what’s inflicting the shellfish to die. One being silt and dust run-off from post-tropical storm Fiona, which pounded the province final fall.  

“I believe it’s the mud,” he stated. “They’re speaking about local weather change and the hurricane (Fiona). I believe the hurricane stirred up the beds myself, and we acquired that chilly snap afterwards.”  

When Fiona hit, giant sections of the province’s shoreline have been severely broken, affecting cliffs, docks, wharfs and seashores.  

Here a cluster of shellfish can be seen lying dead on the beach on May 25. After post-tropical storm Fiona, large amounts of silt were deposited into the waters surrounding the province. White said he believes this could be the cause for the high amount of open shells he has been seeing this year. - Contributed
Right here a cluster of shellfish may be seen mendacity useless on the seaside on Could 25. After post-tropical storm Fiona, giant quantities of silt have been deposited into the waters surrounding the province. White stated he believes this might be the trigger for the excessive quantity of open shells he has been seeing this 12 months. – Contributed

A number of days after the storm, the Canadian Area Company launched a satellite tv for pc picture of P.E.I., the place grime and silt might be seen surrounding the province.  

White believes this mixed with the dearth of sea cowl and constant chilly snaps is presumably what’s resulting in all of the useless shellfish.  

“We had no ice within the strait and no cowl. No snow, no nothing,” stated White.  

Dead shellfish cover the beach at low tide near Mermaid on May 25. - Contributed
Useless shellfish cowl the seaside at low tide close to Mermaid on Could 25. – Contributed

He stated if the ice doesn’t type, shellfish can wash up onshore throughout low tides, which may be lethal for them in the course of the colder months.  

“When the tide goes out the whole lot on the seaside freezes in order that’s what we predict may need occurred.”  


At a look: 

  • Quahogs may be discovered just under the sand or mud floor between the excessive and low tidal zones, sometimes in sheltered areas. 
  • All fishing exercise of quahogs is regulated by a minimal authorized dimension and leisure fishing can be restricted to a private each day bag restrict.
  • In areas the place beds are coated by a number of ft of water, harvesters will use tongs or long-handled rakes from small boats. 

Supply: Prince Edward Island Seafood 


SaltWire contacted Fisheries and Oceans Canada, which stated in a written assertion it hasn’t been made conscious of any main fish kills close to P.E.I, however the excessive quantity of useless shellfish White has been seeing is probably going because of injury from Fiona. 

Dead clams on the beach near Mermaid on May 25. - Contributed
Useless clams on the seaside close to Mermaid on Could 25. – Contributed

“After post-tropical storm Fiona made landfall over Atlantic Canada, giant deposits of mud and silt, significantly in P.E.I. have been discharged into the encircling waters,” the assertion learn. 

“Shellfish by nature name these sand beds house, so the depth of the storm has possible disturbed many of those spawning beds.” 


Rafe Wright is a reporter with SaltWire in Prince Edward Island. He may be reached by e-mail at [email protected] and adopted on Twitter @wright542.



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