New Greenland-Nunavut Fisheries Committee won’t set harvest limits
The governments of Greenland and Nunavut held their first joint committee meeting to prioritize sustainable fisheries on Aug. 2, but Inuit organizations say the new collaboration won’t limit catch volumes.
Instead, the committee intends to balance the economic needs of fishing communities with marine conservation by bringing together scientists and Inuit researchers, according to the Qikiqtani Inuit Association (QIA).
“The committee is structured not to impede on, or direct, limits to each jurisdiction’s total allowable catch for fisheries,” the Qikiqtani Inuit Association told Nunavut News in a statement.
A joint statement from the committee on Aug. 6 outlined an exchange program for officers between Greenland and Nunavut as one priority area.
Fisheries in Davis Strait and Baffin Bay will be the focus of the committee, a press release from the Government of Nunavut explained.
Members of the body will be drawn from the governments of Greenland and Nunavut, Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. and the Qikiqtani Inuit Association, according to the news release.
“We’re excited about sharing our experiences on developing a strong fisheries sector with our neighbours in Nunavut and to facilitate strong partnerships for continued progress in Nunavut and Greenland,” said Greenlandic Minister of Finance and Taxes Mute Bourup Egede.
Greater efficiencies in management, innovation, processing, resource allocation and developing land-based industries will be the main purpose of the sustainable fisheries committee, according to the QIA.
Exactly what that looks like will be explained in greater detail in the future, according to the Nunavut Tunngavik Inc.
“It is vital that we protect and preserve the waters and animals so Inuit can continue to sustain our families long into the future,” Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. President Jeremy Tunraluk said in a press release.
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans sets annual limits on the amount of Greenland halibut that can be legally harvested by marine region.
Two regions between Baffin Island and Greenland in the Davis Straight had limits of 8,700 tonnes and 7,800 tonnes, respectively, for total annual harvests of halibut, latest publicly available data shows.
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: Inuit-owned ‘state of the art’ fishing vessel christened in Iqaluit, CBC News
Norway: Moscow threatens Oslo over Barents fisheries, The Independent Barents Observer
Russia: Brussels imposes sanctions on Murmansk fishery industry, The Independent Barents Observer
