The decision of federal authority to raise the quota of Nunavut turbot fishery has give a big boost to the fishery. Federal Fisheries Minister Gail Shea announced a 1,500-tonne quota increase in the 0B fishery management area, which covers the Canadian half of Davis Strait and stretches from Frobisher Bay to Cumberland Sound. It is said that Nunavut’s four fishing companies will have access to 90 percent of that increased quota, or about 1,350 tonnes, while the remaining 10 percent will go to Inuit in northern Quebec.
According to Shea Cleary fisheries means a great deal to many northern Canadians and that the government of Canada is increasing Nunavut’s turbot allocation. The quota increase is based on scientific research that shows the turbot population is thriving off Baffin Island. She said that the rise could mean about $5.5 million in new revenue for Nunavut fisheries. Turbot currently fetches about $4,000 per tonne at market.Quota a sensitive issue
Nunavut’s quota has been a sensitive issue for years and prior to the present quota increase, Nunavut fisheries controlled 33 percent of the overall turbot catch in the 0B management area. The Baffin Fisheries Coalition in Iqaluit, which runs two vessels off the coast of Baffin Island, has long argued that the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans has not given Nunavut a fair share of the fishery in waters adjacent to the territory.
Jerry Ward, the coalition’s chief operating officer, said that finally, it puts us into a position where they can be in better control of their own destiny. He added that it shows a turning point in improving relationships, certainly, between the fishing industry and DFO in particular.
