Fishery alliance vessel denied fuel again
Inuit-owned partnership can't understand why boat was rebuffed at Arctic Bay
Casey Lessard
Northern News Services
Monday, September 21, 2015
IKPIARJUK/ARCTIC BAY
For a second year, the Arctic Fishery Alliance and the Government of Nunavut are facing off about refuelling the alliance's research vessel, the Kiviuq I, in the High Arctic.
Kiviuq I, the Arctic Fishery Alliance's vessel, refuels in Resolute Bay this month after being denied fuel in Arctic Bay for the second year in a row. - photo courtesy of Arctic Fishery Alliance |
After construction blocked the boat from refuelling at Nanisivik in early-September, the alliance tried to refuel from the community's breakwater, but the Petroleum Products Division (PPD) said no.
"It is extremely disappointing the GN's PPD for the second consecutive year has failed us by disallowing a supply of fuel for our vessel when it is doing valuable research in the far North," chairman and CEO Lootie Toomasie stated in a news release.
"The manager in Rankin Inlet seems to not understand what AFA is, that it's Inuit-owned by four communities' HTOs and the four trusts in the communities," he said when reached by phone in Iqaluit Sept. 17. "He was not willing to help us out at all."
The fishery alliance was told the Petroleum Products Division did not have fuel "for you or anyone else who thinks they can siphon off fuel which is destined for the well-being of Nunavummiut," according the alliance's release.
The Arctic Fishery Alliance is a partnership between Arctic Bay, Grise Fiord, Qikiqtarjuaq, and Resolute Bay. Kiviuq I is a 100-foot steel fishing vessel that conducts exploratory fisheries and baseline ecosystem studies to determine opportunities for economic development in the communities. The vessel uses about 1,500 litres a day, and needs to refuel twice in the High Arctic each year.
"It is clear he does not understand the valuable contribution the vessel is making to the communities, Nunavummiut and the territory," Arctic Bay Mayor Philip Kalluk stated.
Unable to refuel in Arctic Bay and unable to reach Grise Fiord due to ice, the vessel sailed to Resolute Bay to continue its research and refuel, where it did so through the "great effort" of resident Allie Salluviniq, the release stated. Residents built a deep water port using barges, and successfully delivered 35,000 litres of fuel to the boat Sept. 5 and 6.
In its first exploratory fisheries in 2013, the ship refuelled from a Danish tanker off Nanisivik. Last year, the Petroleum Products Division blocked efforts to refuel at Nanisivik, which meant Kiviuq had to head to Greenland to refuel, and AFA wasn't able to perform exploratory fisheries at Arctic Bay and Resolute. Exploratory fisheries at Grise Fiord and Qikiqtarjuaq resulted in excitement locally as shrimp and whelks were found in abundance in the waters.
For 2015, AFA made arrangements to use an independent tanker truck to refuel at Nanisivik. But in the days before arriving, the Petroleum Products Division told the alliance the Kiviuq could not refuel using the tanker. A ship-to-ship transfer from the fuel tanker was also out of the question.
"PPD determined that AFA's vessel refuelling request would be too hazardous and would impede resupply activities," government spokesperson Jodi Durdle-Awa stated in an e-mail. "In addition, the resupply ship in the area is not equipped or obligated to do ship-to-ship fuel transfers. Their priority is to ensure the timely delivery of the annual fuel resupply to communities, which was impacted this year by schedule delays due to ice and weather conditions.
"Rerouting the tanker to refuel the AFA vessel would have interfered with this already compressed delivery schedule and put at risk the delivery of fuel to Nunavut communities," she stated.
She stated that the AFA knew it would not be able to refuel there, and had "sufficient time" to make alternate arrangements.
Toomasie told Nunavut News/North that the rejection was last minute, and he disputed the argument the tanker is not equipped for ship-to-ship transfers.
"It was possible for sure," he said. "The icebreaker gets fuel from the tanker, as well as a military boat gets the fuel from the tanker at the same time, right after we left Arctic Bay. Arctic Bay is very calm, no waves, very safe place, very well sheltered place for boats."
He said despite the disagreement, the fishery alliance will work to get the government on side with refuelling in Arctic Bay for next year.
"We will try again next year," he said. "No choice. We have to go back to the High Arctic next summer."
