P.E.I. blue mussel grower awarded $3.4M for genomics program

A plate of fire-roasted mussels is pictured. (Source: AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

A Prince Edward Island-based blue mussel grower has received $3.4 million in research funding to develop a genomic selective breeding program for triploid mussels, the first of its kind in Canada.

According to a Wednesday news release, Atlantic Aqua Farms, the largest blue mussel grower in North America, has more than 4,500 acres of water leases.

“Triploid mussels will help Atlantic Aqua Farms boost its mussel production by increasing per-acre grow-out efficiency, which will lead to expansion with a limited increase in carbon footprint,” said Dr. Tiago Hori, Atlantic Aqua Farms’ director of innovation.

Genome Canada’s Genomic Applications Partnership program is funding the triploid mussel program. Atlantic Aqua Farms aims to develop a breeding program that will integrate genetic marketers for “temperature robustness” in both diploids and triploids.

“Triploids are known to struggle with heat stress and this tendency is potentially problematic in some areas of P.E.I. where water temperatures are already on the high side for mussel cultivation and the warming trend is expected to continue with climate change,” said Dr. Ramón Filgueira in the release. “We believe that this issue can be mitigated using genomics to inform selective breeding in the triploid mussel seed.”

According to the release, P.E.I.’s blue mussel industry is worth more than $60 million annually and it is the source of half of the mussels consumed in North America.

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