Tryon roadwork could damage oysters, says P.E.I. Shellfish Association
Highway realignment project near where 50 people harvest oysters in Tryon River
The P.E.I. Shellfish Association says it still has concerns about the effects of a highway construction project in Tryon on oysters in the area.
An 18-by-nine-metre archway has been installed over a stream near the new highway, close to where approximately 50 people harvest oysters in the Tryon River.
The shellfish association says the people who harvest in the area, which is known for its high-quality oysters, are worried about erosion and sediment getting into nearby waterways.
"When anybody alters any type of riverway, there's no prediction on what's going to happen," said association president Brenda Campbell.
"Our oysters are on the seabed, the riverbed, so any increase in sediment might smother them."
The association says oyster fishing in the West River hasn't been the same since sediment got into those waters several years ago.
Regular monitoring
Construction in Tryon began earlier this summer and there was a public meeting to discuss the concerns.
Provincial government officials say environmental protection measures are still in place to protect the river.
Brian Thompson, director of the land and environment division of the Department of Transportation, said the area is being continually tested.
"Test results confirmed for us, and for stakeholders, that sediment was kept on site during the construction project and, in fact, our work took place without any sediment of any quantity going into the water course," he said.
"The potential for effects on aquatic habitat and the downstream shell fishery were non-existent during the project."
Officials are regularly monitoring the waterways and say test results reveal sediment amounts from construction area are not a concern.
Work on the $4-million project is expected to wrap up in about a month.
