Bedeque Bay is a significant estuary on the southern coast of Prince Edward Island, forming a broad, sheltered inlet that receives the freshwater flows of the Dunk and Wilmot Rivers. The eastern half of the bay, along with the mouths of these rivers, comprises the Bedeque region, which is protected from the open Northumberland Strait by Hurd’s Point. This area is ecologically notable as one of the few remaining wild oyster-holding estuaries in North America and the only such estuary in Canada. The bay features a mix of soft mud and sandier sediments across its bottom, with a salinity gradient that increases from the upper estuary near the river mouths to the lower, more marine-influenced areas near the Strait. For generations, this bay has been the principal source for Prince Edward Island's wild oyster fishery, a cornerstone of both the local economy and cultural heritage, though it now faces severe ecological challenges.