Nunavut's Baffin Fisheries Coalition now owns 100% of its vessels

Nunavut's Baffin Fisheries Coalition, the largest harvester of shrimp in Canada's North, is expanding; it now owns 100 per cent of itsvessels, ishiring new employees and hasdoubled itsboard of directors.

"It's an exciting time right now," said Methuselah Kunuk, Baffin Fisheries Coalitionvice-president.

"Now we own those four fishing vessels and have a new federal minister for fisheries and oceans, so hopefully all that's going to work well for us."

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Kunuk said ownership of the vessels means that more of the profits will go to the Nunavut hunters and trappers associations that co-own the company.

"Hopefully it will be more opportunities for us," saidKunuk."We are not sharing it with other companies anymore."

Baffin Fisheries Coalitionhas also expanded its board of directorsto 10 members from five members, with two representatives from each of the hunters and trappers associations in Iqaluit, Pangnirtung, Pond Inletand Clyde River.

It has also announced that it will be hiring new employees including three full-time executives.

"We are looking to increase our staff in Nunavut," said Kunuk.

"Initially we want to hire crewing-type employees so that we can look for younger people who might be interested in the fishing industry."

Lack of infrastructure

Jerry Ward, director of fisheries at Qikiqtaaluk Corporation,said while Nunavut's fishing industry is expanding, the current share of fishing quotas is a barrier to future growth.

Ward said today about 72 per cent of turbot and less than 30 per cent of shrimp quotasin Nunavut's adjacent waters goto fisheries in the territory.

"The next step is that any increase coming in quotas obviously has to go to Nunavut," said Ward.

He said the the lack of marine infrastructure in the territoryis another major obstacleto the future growth of Nunavut's fisheries.

"There has to be some infrastructure put into place, in particular a port somewhere, that can be easily utilized by all offshore allocation holders in Nunavut," said Ward.

Ward and Kunuk both agree that a port in Qikiqtarjuaq close to the fishing grounds would be the best solution for offloading product, refuelling and storing and processing their catch.