IWRA Proceedings

AbstractIslands such as Prince Edward Island (PEI), Canada’s smallest province and its only island with provincial jurisdiction, have traditionally focused on primary sector industries such as agriculture, fishing, and increasingly aquaculture. Farmers and aquaculturists depend on stable freshwater supplies, and they are increasingly turning to pumping groundwater from traditional and in some cases high-capacity wells. Like many islands, population, tourism, and coastal developments are rapidly growing in PEI. This contributes to concerns about groundwater supplies and the risks associated with climate change, it helps to drive policy interventions, and in some cases it pressures primary sector stakeholders to consider mitigation strategies and even substantial changes in land use and other practices.