Shellfish crisis continues with no end in sight
NANAIMO — Numerous questions remain into how oysters from Vancouver Island were tainted, months after the initial contamination.
Darlene Winterburn, executive director of the B.C. Shellfish Growers Association, said oyster farmers have done what they can, including some voluntarily shutting down their operations, but it hasn’t been enough.
“They’ve unfortunately gotten to the point where there’s been some layoffs, belts have been tightened and people are looking at ways to keep their staff employed as best they can, but that’s a difficult thing to do when there’s no income,” she said.
She said the norovirus affecting oysters has devastated the industry and the market isn’t as receptive as it used to be.