Ottawa, ON - Proudly sponsored by the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance, a national association representing Canadian aquaculture operators, feed companies and suppliers, the Eighth International Conference on Molluscan Shellfish Safety (ICMSS) will take place in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island from June 12-17, 2011.
ICMSS is the premier world conference for topics related to shellfish safety. Presented by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and the Prince Edward Island Department of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Rural Development this year’s conference is anticipated to attract up to 200 shellfish experts from around the world.
“Canada has a global reputation for producing fresh, high quality and safe farmed seafood,” said Ruth Salmon, Executive Director of the Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance. “Our shellfish growers adhere to strict seafood safety policies, regulations and inspection standards. We are proud to support this world-class conference which will provide the international community a forum to advance shellfish safety science and showcase Canada’s leadership in its application.”
It is fitting that this is the very first time the ICMSS is being held in Canada, in Prince Edward Island in particular. PEI is the Canadian leader in shellfish aquaculture in terms of production volume, value and economic contribution from farmed shellfish.
Canada’s total shellfish production in 2009 was 34,000 tonnes with a value of $64 million. It ranks fourteenth globally in the production of both mussels and oysters. Mussels, oysters, clams and scallops are the most common shellfish produced across Canada including Newfoundland, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Québec and British Columbia.