Latest news with #BobMacLeod
CTV News
2 days ago
- Health
- CTV News
Parasites put pressure on oyster fishers ahead of fall season in P.E.I.
A deadly parasite is biting into one of Canada's most prized catches: oysters. (CTV News) A deadly parasite is biting into one of Canada's most prized catches, with oyster fishers in several provinces now dealing with Dermo. The highly damaging oyster disease, most recently detected in Prince Edward Island, is slashing yields and shrinking profits in an industry that's already struggling with another parasite, Multinucleate sphere unknown (MSX). While the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) says neither pose risks to human health or food safety, P.E.I. Shellfish Association President Bob MacLeod says buyers won't touch oysters from bodies of water where they suspect cases of Dermo. 'It's going to be a lot of hardship,' he said, adding the province's next big oyster season starts in September. 'That could destroy our whole fall.' This year, Dermo has also been detected in Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador, following earlier detections in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. MSX, which has a mortality rate of up to 95 per cent for oysters, is already present in the region. Because of both parasites, MacLeod said some fishing spots are now off limits, forcing fishers to find new areas, paying higher travel costs. Plus, some rivers are being overfished, meaning fewer catches and potentially fewer oysters on the market. 'That can really impact everybody,' MacLeod said. He added that it would help if the CFIA was faster at determining whether suspected cases are confirmed. In a statement to CTV News, the agency said it only officially recognizes results from samples tested at facilities in the National Aquatic Animal Health Laboratory system. Positive results from any other lab are treated as suspect positive cases that must be reported to the CFIA for further investigation. When the CFIA receives notice of a suspect detection, it collects and tests samples from the area. The agency says extensive subsequent sampling can be required before it is able to confirm the positive result, which can be time-consuming. Dermo can exist in some oysters, but not others in a given area, and not all infected mollusks show signs of disease, according to the agency. The Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance told CTV News it's calling on the federal government to make two changes in relation to shellfish production. The first is to double funding for the Canadian Shellfish Sanitation Program. The second is to launch a pilot insurance program for farmers. With both parasites creeping through oyster beds, fishers say the next few weeks could make or break this fall's harvest.
CBC
05-07-2025
- Health
- CBC
'It's a pretty scary time': Oyster industry on edge after dermo found in Egmont Bay
The president of the P.E.I. Shellfish Association says the oyster industry is rightfully concerned about the first case of dermo disease in P.E.I. But Bob MacLeod said there is no reason for panic. "It's a pretty scary time for our industry right now," MacLeod said Saturday. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency announced on Friday that lab tests confirmed the presence of dermo — a highly damaging mollusc disease — in oysters from P.E.I.'s Egmont Bay. As a result, the CFIA could take control of how oysters are handled and shipped in that area to help limit the spread of the disease. MacLeod said that areas closing down will make fishers have to move to other rivers, which can cost them more money. "It affects every other fisherman on the Island because everyone's got to make a living, so everyone's gotta move around," he said. "It either affects that you gotta share … your river or it affects your cost because you have to travel further." There were approximately 600-700 licensed oyster fishers on P.E.I. as of October 2024, and many more wild oyster fishers, including MacLeod. "Even if it's a river that I don't fish in, somebody fishes in it." Moving forward The discovery of dermo in Island oysters comes one year after MSX, short for multinucleate sphere unknown, was discovered in Bedeque Bay. More cases were confirmed elsewhere in the province in the months that followed. "It's really challenging, hard on the head, very stressful and a lot of people's struggling over this," said MacLeod. He says the association's main objective is to enhance the industry, but that's difficult because of how limited they are in moving oysters from one area to another. He hopes the government will step up to support and compensate Island fishers. "Everyone's self-employed in this, and it's not the fault of the fishermen that these diseases [are] here," he said. With the right support, and some time, he thinks the industry can get past this hurdle. "We're talking a few years down the road to bring it back, but we can bring it back cause we have various [areas] not hit yet.
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Rite Aid releases latest list of store closings, including 6 more in NH
The list of Rite Aid Pharmacy stores closing across the country continues to grow and now includes six more here in New Hampshire. Eventually the entire chain will shutter, presenting a challenge for some in rural parts of the state who have come to rely on the chain's 46 Granite State stores for their needed medications. The latest store closings include Hillsborough, Jaffrey, Littleton, Meredith, Newport and Winchester, according to federal bankruptcy court documents. A total of 14 stores in New Hampshire are set to close soon as the case proceeds in federal bankruptcy court in New Jersey. NH Rite Aid closings announced so far Bristol, 360 Summer St. Durham, 5 Mill Road Exeter, 75 Portsmouth Ave. Hillsboro, 315 W. Main St. Jaffrey, 14 Peterborough St. Keene, 354 Winchester St. Lee, 5 Calef Highway Littleton, 136 Meadow St. Meredith, 89 NH Rote 25 Newport, 51 S. Main St. North Hampton, 72 Lafayette Road Peterborough, 19 Wilton Road Pittsfield, 41 Carroll St. Winchester, 10 Main St. SOURCE: U.S. Bankruptcy Court filings The national drugstore chain filed for voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last month. CVS Pharmacy is set to take over Rite Aid and Bartell Drug stores in Washington, Oregon and Idaho, but no such lease takeovers or sales have been announced for New Hampshire. Such sales are not unheard of here — five Rite Aid locations in New Hampshire became Walgreens in 2018 after the sale of more than 1,900 stores nationwide. Bids for Rite Aid's remaining assets, which include unexpired leases for existing Rite Aid stores, are due June 18, according to court documents. Plymouth-based Mid-State Health, a federally qualified community health center committed to making sure quality care is affordable and accessible to all, is working with patients who will need to make an upcoming switch. The closures came with short notice and hits areas of the state which already face health care challenges, said Bob MacLeod, Mid-State's CEO. Patients of Mid-State's Bristol and Lincoln health centers are worried about the Rite Aid closures in those towns because of limited options, he said. 'I think that is going to have a dramatic negative impact' in Bristol, he said. 'Folks are either going to have to go south of Bristol to maybe areas like Tilton or have to come back to the Plymouth area.' Lincoln does another pharmacy option at Price Chopper. Some communities like Plymouth will be less impacted with options including CVS, Hannaford and Walmart, MacLeod said. Mid-State's practice in Plymouth also has an in-house pharmacy operated by Genoa Pharmacy. 'Instead of five pharmacies in the Plymouth area, we will be down to four,' MacLeod said. The health center is looking to add in-house pharmacy service in both Bristol and Lincoln in the near future. Mid-State has encouraged its patients to plan ahead to avoid interruptions with steps like contacting insurance providers, choosing a new pharmacy and requesting a profile transfer. Access to prescriptions in these rural areas are "yet another challenge," he said. A full array of health care services is limited, "and quite frankly our patients and other patients don't need any other challenges." Rite Aid's bankruptcy filings come after the company emerged from a similar filing in 2023. Many of the store shelves across the chain are left bare as products diminish, but customers can still get their prescriptions filled during the process. 'A key priority for Rite Aid is to ensure that as many of our loyal customers as possible continue to receive the pharmacy services and care they require without interruption,' Rite Aid CEO Matt Schroeder said in a statement. jphelps@
CTV News
12-05-2025
- Health
- CTV News
P.E.I. fisherman says MSX parasite impact on oysters ‘devastating,' calls for government support
A parasite discovered in Canadian waters is causing destruction to oysters in P.E.I. Sarah Plowman reports. In Bedeque Bay, the backbone of P.E.I.'s spring oyster fishing industry, most oysters are dead. Normally, there would be thousands of oysters there, said Bob MacLeod, president of PEI Shellfish Association. But a recent, nearly three hour survey of the area by fishermen and the province found only thirty live oysters. 'Basically, it's wiped out,' said Macleod. 'It's devastating.' It was in Bedeque Bay where the parasite multinucleate sphere unknown, known as MSX, was first detected in July 2024. MSX is harmless to people and poses no risk to human health but it's deadly for oysters, with a high mortality rate. Macleod approximated that 10,000-12,000 boxes of oysters would've been fished out of the Bedeque area last year. Trouble in those waters has sent the 70 fishermen who'd typically be there daily, elsewhere. Bedeque Bay It was in Bedeque Bay where the parasite MSX was first detected in July 2024. 'It's putting an awful lot of pressure on other little rivers,' he said, noting he's heard of one spot that usually only has seven or eight dories, but last week had thirty. 'Come June, I'm fearful for what they're going to be fishing.' MSX is now widespread across P.E.I. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says scientific evidence has shown it's already present or highly likely to be present in most marine waterways across the province. 'With the spring oyster fishery now reopening, we're beginning to see firsthand the impacts, such as high oyster mortalities,' the agency said in a statement. Oysters are a vital part of the province's economy and tourism. Zack Bell, P.E.I.'s Minister of Fisheries, Sport, Tourism and Culture, said in 2023, the industry generated about $24 million with a $47.5 million economic value for the province. Bell said Bedeque Bay area is probably the hardest hit spot but he's hearing reports from Percival River and Lennox channel. 'There are some areas where there is very little prevalence. But it is pretty much island wide,' said Bell. Some oyster farms hit too In Bideford, P.E.I., the Hardy family is dealing with more than a million dead oysters due to MSX and they expect to find more. Gordon Hardy and his family have dumped them out onto a long driveway that's currently coated with dead oysters. 'It's pretty devastating. We've been trying to pick all the dead ones out and keep the alive ones,' said Bradley Hardy, Gordon's son who's been helping his dad but also has his own dead oysters to sort through. Gordon said he has 200 lines of oysters at his farm and despite finding an estimated 1.2 million dead oysters in the past week, he's only sorted through about 15 per cent of what he grows. He estimates he's lost about $500,000 worth of oysters so far. 'The one's that I'm saving, I'm worried are they going to live or are they going to grow?' said Gordon. 'It's stressful. It's the future that I'm worried about.' Bradley wants to remind Canadians they can still eat P.E.I.'s oysters despite MSX, they just won't be able to grow as many. 'They're still just as good as they were. And they're safe to eat,' he said. Oysters The Hardy family dumped the oysters out onto a long driveway that's currently coated with dead oysters. Calls for more support from Ottawa Macleod said the situation is stressful for fishermen who need government support. 'The provincial government is trying to help us the best they can, but we need some federal support, really and truly. And that's something we're not getting,' said Macleod. 'This is no fault of any fishermen, what's happening here. This is a disease we have no control over. And our fishery is going down fast, and we're not really seeing anything in the form of help that we really need to get us through this.' In its latest budget, the P.E.I. government set aside $3 million for a contingency fund to support the industry. Minister Bell called it 'a start' 'It's also going to take a lot of help from our federal partners,' said Bell. 'Whether it's Service Canada or whether it's DFO, we will need some funding.' Bell explained that fishermen's EI is linked to their catch and not specific to their hours worked. 'So, I think that that's something that's going to have to be looked at, because unfortunately, some fishers are going out and they're not going to be able to get maybe the same catch as they had last year,' said Bell. CTV News reached out to Service Canada for comment but has yet to receive a response. A spokesperson with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans noted Ottawa has announced about a million dollars on research to determine how to resist MSX. It's unknown how the disease spreads but has long existed in the U.S.' East Coast where disease-resistant breeding has helped that industry adapt and now thrive. 'I think the immediate solution is to try to get some animals, some seed, some resistant seed in production as quickly as possible,' said Ryan Carnegie, a professor with the Virginia Institute of Marine Science Professor and Batten School of William and Mary. Macleod said the PEI Shellfish Association has been approved to set up a nursery to grow MSX-resistant oyster seed and they're working to get it in place. He thinks P.E.I. needs more new hatcheries. 'We need hatcheries, and we need hatcheries bad,' Macleod said. Bell said the province does have a hatchery but said it might not be going at its capacity. 'But we are working with that hatchery. We also use a hatchery in New Brunswick that has supplied a lot of seed here to the province of P.E.I.. And again, we want to make sure that we do it right,' he said.
CTV News
12-05-2025
- Health
- CTV News
P.E.I. fisherman says MSX parasite impact on oysters ‘devastating,' calls for government support
A parasite discovered in Canadian waters is causing destruction to oysters in P.E.I. Sarah Plowman reports. In Bedeque Bay, the backbone of P.E.I.'s spring oyster fishing industry, most oysters are dead. Normally, there would be thousands of oysters there, said Bob MacLeod, president of PEI Shellfish Association. But a recent, nearly three hour survey of the area by fishermen and the province found only thirty live oysters. 'Basically, it's wiped out,' said Macleod. 'It's devastating.' It was in Bedeque Bay where the parasite multinucleate sphere unknown, known as MSX, was first detected in July 2024. MSX is harmless to people and poses no risk to human health but it's deadly for oysters, with a high mortality rate. Macleod approximated that 10,000-12,000 boxes of oysters would've been fished out of the Bedeque area last year. Trouble in those waters has sent the 70 fishermen who'd typically be there daily, elsewhere. Bedeque Bay It was in Bedeque Bay where the parasite MSX was first detected in July 2024. 'It's putting an awful lot of pressure on other little rivers,' he said, noting he's heard of one spot that usually only has seven or eight dories, but last week had thirty. 'Come June, I'm fearful for what they're going to be fishing.' MSX is now widespread across P.E.I. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency says scientific evidence has shown it's already present or highly likely to be present in most marine waterways across the province. 'With the spring oyster fishery now reopening, we're beginning to see firsthand the impacts, such as high oyster mortalities,' the agency said in a statement. Oysters are a vital part of the province's economy and tourism. Zack Bell, P.E.I.'s Minister of Fisheries, Sport, Tourism and Culture, said in 2023, the industry generated about $24 million with a $47.5 million economic value for the province. Bell said Bedeque Bay area is probably the hardest hit spot but he's hearing reports from Percival River and Lennox channel. 'There are some areas where there is very little prevalence. But it is pretty much island wide,' said Bell. Some oyster farms hit too In Bideford, P.E.I., the Hardy family is dealing with more than a million dead oysters due to MSX and they expect to find more. Gordon Hardy and his family have dumped them out onto a long driveway that's currently coated with dead oysters. 'It's pretty devastating. We've been trying to pick all the dead ones out and keep the alive ones,' said Bradley Hardy, Gordon's son who's been helping his dad but also has his own dead oysters to sort through. Gordon said he has 200 lines of oysters at his farm and despite finding an estimated 1.2 million dead oysters in the past week, he's only sorted through about 15 per cent of what he grows. He estimates he's lost about $500,000 worth of oysters so far. 'The one's that I'm saving, I'm worried are they going to live or are they going to grow?' said Gordon. 'It's stressful. It's the future that I'm worried about.' Bradley wants to remind Canadians they can still eat P.E.I.'s oysters despite MSX, they just won't be able to grow as many. 'They're still just as good as they were. And they're safe to eat,' he said. Oysters The Hardy family dumped the oysters out onto a long driveway that's currently coated with dead oysters. Calls for more support from Ottawa Macleod said the situation is stressful for fishermen who need government support. 'The provincial government is trying to help us the best they can, but we need some federal support, really and truly. And that's something we're not getting,' said Macleod. 'This is no fault of any fishermen, what's happening here. This is a disease we have no control over. And our fishery is going down fast, and we're not really seeing anything in the form of help that we really need to get us through this.' In its latest budget, the P.E.I. government set aside $3 million for a contingency fund to support the industry. Minister Bell called it 'a start' 'It's also going to take a lot of help from our federal partners,' said Bell. 'Whether it's Service Canada or whether it's DFO, we will need some funding.' Bell explained that fishermen's EI is linked to their catch and not specific to their hours worked. 'So, I think that that's something that's going to have to be looked at, because unfortunately, some fishers are going out and they're not going to be able to get maybe the same catch as they had last year,' said Bell. CTV News reached out to Service Canada for comment but has yet to receive a response. A spokesperson with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans noted Ottawa has announced about a million dollars on research to determine how to resist MSX. It's unknown how the disease spreads but has long existed in the U.S.' East Coast where disease-resistant breeding has helped that industry adapt and now thrive. 'I think the immediate solution is to try to get some animals, some seed, some resistant seed in production as quickly as possible,' said Ryan Carnegie, a professor with the Virginia Institute of Marine Science Professor and Batten School of William and Mary. Macleod said the PEI Shellfish Association has been approved to set up a nursery to grow MSX-resistant oyster seed and they're working to get it in place. He thinks P.E.I. needs more new hatcheries. 'We need hatcheries, and we need hatcheries bad,' Macleod said. Bell said the province does have a hatchery but said it might not be going at its capacity. 'But we are working with that hatchery. We also use a hatchery in New Brunswick that has supplied a lot of seed here to the province of P.E.I.. And again, we want to make sure that we do it right,' he said.
