Russell Ventura
atlantic aqua farms
“It was my dream to come to Canada”
When Russell Ventura arrived on PEI two and a half years ago, he didn’t know a single soul. He felt alone and anxious as he settled into his new home in Georgetown, while his wife and son were across the world in the Philippines.
It was Russell’s dream to come to Canada. Thanks to the PEI aquaculture Industry and the team at Atlantic Aqua Farms, Russell’s dream of living in Canada came true. Now a farmer of the sea, Russell loves his new life on the Island.
After six years working in a call centre back home in the Philippines, farming mussels was a whole new experience. It didn’t take him long to adapt and he fell in love with the job right away. With his eagerness to learn, he quickly progressed and is now a boat operator, sailing out of Georgetown.
Russell loves being a PEI mussel farmer. The job keeps him active and outdoors. With each season on the Island very different, he never gets bored. Russell especially likes manual labour like harvesting and fixing lines, because it helps him build his “mussels!” While his adjustment to the cold climate took some time, he sure loves being out on the water and he is much more conscious about the need to take care of the ocean. Well aware of the human impacts, he feels a responsibility to protect it.
Russell says he is still learning every day, and he appreciates his wonderful coworkers who are always willing to help him out when he has questions. In fact, his team at Atlantic Aqua Farms is one of his favourite parts of the job. “We work hard and there are hard times, but we always find something to laugh about,” he says. “It’s fun work.”
Russell loves being a PEI mussel farmer. The job keeps him active and outdoors. With each season on the Island very different, he never gets bored. Russell especially likes manual labour like harvesting and fixing lines, because it helps him build his “mussels!” While his adjustment to the cold climate took some time, he sure loves being out on the water and he is much more conscious about the need to take care of the ocean. Well aware of the human impacts, he feels a responsibility to protect it.
