A new course introduced last spring aimed at giving biology and environmental studies students first-hand knowledge about the aquaculture industry will be continuing at the University of Prince Edward Island (UPEI).
The two-week Aquaculture and the Environment course was a combination of lectures, laboratory work and field trips offered by the departments of Biology and Environmental Studies. During the course, the students examined interactions between aquaculture and the environment — from a global overview to the local industry. Topics covered include production systems, water quality, disease and pest management, policy and regulation, and the effect of aquaculture on the environment and human communities.
The students toured several Island aquaculture-related facilities, including the Brackley Bay Oyster Company, Brackley Bay; the P.E.I. Shellfish Museum, Ellerslie; the Bideford Shellfish Hatchery, Tyne Valley; Getson’s Mussel Farms Inc, Nine Mile Creek; the Abegweit Biodiversity Enhancement Hatchery, Mount Stewart; and the Cascumpec Bay Oyster Company, Coleman.
They also sampled seafood donated by Prince Edward Island Aqua Farms Inc. and prepared by Chef Alan Williams at the Culinary Institute of Canada.
“Aquaculture is an important industry on P.E.I. so it is important that our students develop knowledge about it and its relationship with the province’s environment. I would like to thank those in the industry who contributed to our students’ knowledge and understanding of aquaculture,” said co-instructor Devon Lynn in a media release.
The Aquaculture and the Environment course is offered by Environmental Studies and cross-listed with Biology. It will be offered in the Summer 2026 term, said Dr. Nino Antadze, associate professor and director of the environmental studies program at UPEI.
“The course integrates ecological, social, policy and practical perspectives, offering a well-rounded understanding of aquaculture in P.E.I. It also gives students hands-on experience through lab work, field activities and industry engagement, thus providing practical insights that complement their theoretical learning,” said Antadze.
While Antadze said she doesn’t have specific numbers how many UPEI students pursue post-graduation careers in aquaculture, it is a topic that students are interested in.
Ecology, environmental policy, marine biology and relevant directed studies or research-based courses are among the UPEI courses that could help prepare students for a career in aquaculture, said Antadze.
The Atlantic Veterinary College (AVC) at UPEI has a strong aquatic animal health program, including teaching veterinary students about aquaculture from a food animal health perspective. There are components of aquaculture in each year of study.
“All of the students receive some elements of training with essential elements early in their program and opportunities to take additional electives based on their interests and career plans,” said the AVC.
“The students can also take directed studies and research credits… and through AVC’s Veterinary Summer Research Award program, most of the faculty in aquatic animal health (which includes farmed species) have taken on students to do summer research projects in aquaculture. There are fish health-related sessions in the animal health management fourth-year core rotation, and a fourth-year elective in ecohealth that AVC co-runs with other Canadian universities,” said the AVC.
“AVC’s overall aquaculture-related program is also very highly represented in the College’s graduate program. Quite often, AVC has more grad students with a fish interest compared to all other grad students combined. Beyond taking these courses, the students really begin to create their network of opportunities through vetSRA (Veterinary Summer Research Award) and undertaking externships, etc. At the least, one provincial government department provides opportunities to interested students every year to closely observe their work with their veterinarians in the field. These opportunities, most often, are not part of the formal training program or course structure but are meant to attract future graduates to a career in fish health.”
