Question Period Note: Oyster Diseases

• Our government understands the importance of protecting the health of Canada's aquatic resources and the multi-billion dollar export market for fish and seafood products.
• Multinuclear Sphere X Oyster Disease, known as MSX, poses no risks to human health or food safety, but it is a serious disease for American oysters that can cause significant oyster mortality of both cultured and wild oysters.
• My Department is collaborating with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, and the provinces of Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick and industry to contain the outbreak and limit the spread of MSX and respond to industry priorities related to MSX.

BACKGROUND
MSX
• Canada’s National Aquatic Animal Health Program, co-delivered by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), is responsible for preventing the introduction and/or spread of significant diseases of finfish, molluscs and crustaceans.
• The CFIA is the lead agency with legislative authority under the federal Health of Animals Act. The CFIA is responsible for enforcing regulations governing import and export, disease management and surveillance activities. DFO provides diagnostic testing services, research support, and scientific advice.
• Since July 2024, the CFIA has declared numerous Primary Control Zones (PCZ) in Prince Edward Island where the disease has been detected or is suspected to exist. Testing of other sites is ongoing.
• To help mitigate the spread of the disease, both the CFIA and DFO are limiting the movements of oysters through their respective processes. CFIA is also consulting with industry on next steps.
• On Canada’s East Coast, DFO issues introductions and transfers (I&T) licences under the Fishery (General) Regulations to authorize the intentional release and transfer of live aquatic organisms into fish-bearing waters or fish-rearing facilities when the proposed transfer poses low ecological, disease and genetic risks.
• Risks associated with each movement, including shellfish for aquaculture purposes, are assessed by federal-provincial/territorial Introduction and Transfer (I&T) Committees, which have representation from DFO and provincial/territorial governments.
• Reported mortalities of oysters thus far are from the original detection site. Significant mortalities have not yet been reported in farmed or wild populations at other suspected or confirmed infected sites; however, samples taken from oysters transported from infected sites to other sites have tested positive for MSX. Further, the parasite can be dormant or suppressed for long periods of time.

Dermo
• On November 8th, 2024, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) was notified by the New Brunswick Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries Department (NBDAAF) of a possible detection of Perkinsus marinus the causal agent of the “Dermo” disease, in farmed American oysters (Crassostrea virginica) during routine surveillance. The CFIA confirmed the detection on November 19th, 2024. No abnormal mortalities were observed on site. Haplosporidium nelsoni, the causal agent of the Multinucleate Sphere Unknown (MSX) disease was also detected on site.
• The area of New Brunswick has been quarantined and strict movement controls were implemented to prevent further spread. Tracing activities and surveillance are ongoing.
 

If pressed on measures being taken to limit the spread of MSX
• We remain committed to continued collaboration with all parties to mitigate the evolving impacts of MSX.
• Working with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, my Department is conducting testing of oysters to determine the presence and extent of MSX infection in the concerned areas. As of November 2024, Fisheries and Oceans’ laboratories have conducted more than 9,000 tests.
• Given that MSX poses no risk to human health or food safety, this testing is not conducted for food safety purposes.
• If my Department needs to authorize the intentional release and transfer of live oysters, we continue to collaborate with provinces through the Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick Introduction and Transfer Committees, while the Canadian Food Inspection Agency provides technical expertise on MSX in an advisory role to this Committee.
If pressed on what is the Department doing to support MSX research
• I have announced up to $1 million in funding for external experts, over the next two years, to support scientific research towards addressing knowledge gaps in our understanding of MSX.
• On November 13-14, 2024, my Department co-hosted a Science Summit on MSX with the Province of Prince Edward Island, which gathered experts and partners to discuss what we know about MSX as well as priority areas for additional research.
If pressed about Dermo disease in oysters
• Based on regulatory diagnostic testing conducted at my Department’s National Aquatic Animal Health Laboratory System (NAAHLS), the Canadian Food Inspection Agency confirmed the detection of Dermo disease in farmed American oysters on November 19th, 2024. It poses no risks to human health or food safety, but it is a serious disease for American oysters.
• This is the first detection of “Dermo” disease in Canada. My Department, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, provinces, the industry, processors, fish harvesters and academic institutions are working closely together to coordinate a response and the management of both diseases.