nunavut fisheries association (nfa) june 9, 2018 · development of the nunavut fishery success...
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Nunavut Fisheries Association (NFA)
June 9, 2018
Items for Discussion
Background on NFA and its Members
Marine Protection in the Eastern Arctic
Collaborative Approach to Establishing Fishery Closures
International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Standards
NFA Concerns
Continuing the collaboration: Ocean Literacy – getting the message out
NFA Formed in 2012 to represent the common interests of
the commercial fishing industry in Nunavut; Membership consists of the four Inuit owned companies
which hold 100% of Nunavut’s share of offshore Shrimp and Turbot Allocations administered through the NWMB:
Development of the Nunavut Fishery
Success through Collaboration and Partnerships: Historically a small-scale, traditional subsistence food fishery,
primarily for Arctic char;
Growth and maturing of Nunavut fishing industry. Nunavut is now part of the Atlantic commercial fishery, utilizing large factory freezer vessels for supply to world markets:
Four Nunavut primary offshore allocation holders;
Growth in Allocations and Share of adjacent fishery resources: turbot from 27.27% to over 73%; shrimp from 19% to 38%;
From no vessels owned to three offshore factory freezer trawlers and two fixed gear factory freezer vessels;
Major investments in infrastructure, fishing licenses, science and research, and training;
Increasing returns and benefits to Nunavummiut – landed value of $100 M.
Nunavut Harvesting: Factory Freezer
Vessels
Our Members
Four members all owned by the Inuit of the Qikiqtani region:
Arctic Fishery Alliance: owned by the HTAs and hamlets of Qikiqtarjuaq, Grise Fiord, Arctic Bay, and Resolute Bay;
Baffin Fisheries: owned by the HTAs of Iqaluit, Pond Inlet, Clyde River, Kimmirut, and Pangnirtung;
Pangnirtung Fisheries/Cumberland Sound Fisheries: owned by the HTA in Pangnirtung as well as other shareholders in the community;
Qikiqtaaluk Corporation: Inuit Birthright Corporation for the Qikiqtani region.
Fishery Closures
Agreement on three closure areas reached through extensive consultation and collaboration between stakeholder groups
Marine Protection in the Eastern Arctic
Eastern Arctic Fishing Closures
8
Effective Dec. 31, 2017
• Hatton Basin
Conservation Area
• Davis Strait
Conservation Area
• Disko Fan
Conservation Area
Hatton Basin Conservation Area
9
• Objective to conserve
sensitive benthic
areas
• Closed to all bottom
contact fishing gear
• 42,459 km2
Davis Strait Conservation Area
10
• Objective to conserve
sensitive benthic areas
• Closed to all bottom contact
fishing gear
• 17,298 km2
Disko Fan Area
11
• Closed to groundfish fishing since 2008
• Objectives o to minimize impacts on
winter food source and overwintering habitat for Narwhal
o to conserve coral concentrations
• 3 overlapping closures • Closure to groundfish
fishing with mobile gear
Disko Fan Area
12
• Closure to groundfish fishing with fixed gear
Disko Fan Area
13
• Closure to shrimp fishing
Disko Fan Area
14
• 7,586 km2 towards Marine
Conservation Targets
Achieved through Extensive Collaboration Jan. Eastern Arctic Groundfish Stakeholder Advisory Committee
(EAGSAC) establish Marine Conservation Working Group (MC WG)
Mar. Northern shrimp fishery stakeholder meeting
Mar. - Jun. Six MC WG meetings. Extensive discussions/negotiations between Industry and ENGO WG members on a daily to weekly basis.
Jun. Presentations to 4 co-management partners on Disko Fan closure adjustments and proposed Hatton Basin closure
Jul. MC WG report to EAGSAC
Sept./Oct. Presentations on proposed Davis Strait closure to 2 co-management boards
Dec. 21 Ministerial announcement; Notice to Fishers advising of new Eastern Arctic closures effective Dec. 31
MC WG Membership (in addition to DFO) Dave Bollivar (Arctic Fishery Alliance)
Brian Burke (Nunavut Fisheries Association)
Bruce Chapman (Canadian Association of Prawn Producers)
Susanna Fuller (Ecology Action Center)
Patrick Martin (Baffin Fisheries Coalition)
Jeffrey Maurice (Nunavut Tunngavik Inc.)
Alastair O’Rielly (Northern Coalition)
Peter Rose/Mark O’Connor (Makivik)
Sakiasie Sowdlooapik (Cumberland Sound Fisheries Ltd./Pangnirtung Fisheries Ltd. Partnership)
Trevor Taylor (Oceans North)
Kris Vascotto (Groundfish Enterprise Allocation Council)
Jerry Ward (Qikiqtaaluk Corporation)
Adhering to IUCN Standards IUCN Standards globally accepted:
Canada is an IUCN member, should follow these standards
Nunavut fishing industry is used to following international standards:
Turbot and shrimp resources shared stocks with Greenland, follow NAFO scientific advice
Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Certification in place for shrimp, application in process for turbot
NFA Concerns Meeting the IUCN Standards:
Will exemptions for other industries (oil and gas) in fishing closure areas exempt our fishing closures from acceptance under these standards;
Has all our extensive effort been wasted – if closed to fishing, areas should be closed to all industrial activity which causes negative impacts to conservation objectives
Targeting the North for closures: Although the commercial fishery is relatively new in the North, it is
identified as a major economic driver providing sustainable employment and benefits;
Large data gaps exist on potential inshore/offshore fishery opportunities for the future – don’t limit our future potential;
Need to ensure that DFO adheres to its commitment to not overly burden the north with closures, as compared to other regions.
Continuing the Collaboration Development of a music video on coral and sponges, to
highlight to the public the importance of protected areas
Collaborative effort between many of the groups on the MC WG – Industry, ENGOs, DFO, GN and NWMB
Developed and produced in Nunavut with local school children and two local celebrities
Video released on June 4th, receiving positive response and media coverage