BAFFIN ISLAND
After a dispute about shrimp quota allocation, Baffin Fisheries Coalition has suspended its membership in the Nunavut Offshore Allocation Holders Association (NOAHA) "until the organization is prepared to unite in advancing issues important to the future development of the Nunavut fishing industry as a priority, ahead of the interests of individual members," according to a statement released by Baffin Fisheries.

Baffin Fisheries Coalition has pulled out of the Nunavut Offshore Allocation Holders Association after a dispute about shrimp allocations. Earlier this year, the coalition announced it had 100 per cent ownership of all its vessels and assets, including the MV Sivulliq, a 64-metre Arctic shrimp trawler in the Davis Strait. - photo courtesy of Baffin Fisheries Coalition

Baffin Fisheries is concerned about the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board's July 19 decision to alter shrimp allocations in new areas of the Eastern and Western Assessment zones, and in particular the Ungava Bay area. This area is a relatively new management zone, having been put in place four years ago, and the quota is shared between the two land claim areas of Nunavut and Nunavik.

Up until the July 19 decision, Baffin Fisheries had 100 per cent ownership of the shrimp allocation in this area. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans rejected the wildlife management board's initial suggestion to maintain the status quo, and the board accepted the revised suggestion to give 70 per cent to Baffin Fisheries, with 30 per cent going to Qikiqtaaluk Corporation.

"We feel that that's not good for Nunavut business," said Baffin Fisheries vice-president Methusalah Kunuk.

He specifically called out the chair of the holders association, Jerry Ward, who also works for Qikiqtaaluk.

"Cooperation is difficult to achieve when the chair is in conflict of interest," reads Baffin Fisheries' statement. "We believe the chair of NOAHA should be independent of individual member companies and should be in an uncompromised position to advance issues that are important to all members and fundamental to the future of the Nunavut fishery."

It goes on to state Baffin Fisheries calls on members of the holders association to acknowledge the wildlife management board be recognized as the main instrument of wildlife management in Nunavut and insist that its allocation review process be followed.

"We will be always open to discuss things if there's a change in that chairmanship," said Kunuk.

Kunuk is upset that the NWMB accepted the 70/30 per cent split recommendation, suggesting the federal government had too much power in the matter.

"Nunavut Wildlife Management Board should have been our voice for Nunavut but they were overruled," said Kunuk.

"We are surprised at the Liberal government."

He said the reduction in Baffin Fisheries' quota will likely hurt the organization in the future.

"We're still hoping that there will be a change," he said.

Ward told Nunavut News/North that he was surprised and disappointed to see BFC pull out of the holders association.

"I don't feel at all that I'm in a conflict of interest," said Ward.

"As with all industry associations, internal quota allocation issues were not included in (NOAHA's) mandate. The goal of NOAHA is to help grow the industry pie, not to consider how the pie is to be divided."

He said it seems unfair a company would have complete ownership of any resource when other companies are capable of harvesting it as well.

"As in any fishery, it is unreasonable to expect one company to have 100 per cent of the allocation when other Nunavut companies have the capacity to harvest the shrimp," Ward stated in a subsequent e-mail. "It is a more fair and equitable allocation of the resource."

He pointed out the Nunavut portion of shrimp allocations in this area is still 100 per cent allocated to Nunavut, just now split 70/30 between Baffin Fisheries and Qikiqtaaluk.

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