Industry could be worth millions
Darrell Greer
Northern News Services
Whale Cove (Jan 05/01) - A kelp fishery, which could be shared by coastal communities, could bring millions of dollars into the Kivalliq region.
Ian Copland says the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board support a proposal to substantially increase the commercial kelp (seaweed) quota in the Whale Cove area.
Copland is the vice-president of Kivalliq Land and Sea Resources Ltd. in Whale Cove which has been working on the project for the past decade.
Aggressive fishers could earn between $25,000-$40,000 during the open-water season, which lasts four or five months, he says.
"Value-added processing would create many more new jobs. Whale Cove and the Aqigiq HTO in Chesterfield Inlet have requested our assistance in commercially developing their marine-plant resources and we expect other communities will follow."
Kelp is a major player in the marine food chain and provides refuge and nurseries for transient animals.
Copland says the previous kelp quota of 100 metric tonnes a year is too small to support a rapidly developing market.
KLSR Ltd. has been negotiating with potential clients in Canada, the United States and Asia.
"We had the markets established but couldn't get the quotas up in time, so our negotiations fell through. Companies we're dealing with feel the kelp market is going to grow very quickly and, if we haven't got the quota to cover future years, they can't commit to us.
"That's been our main stumbling block to completing negotiations."
Copland quickly acknowledges the importance of regulatory agencies being cautious in establishing a commercial kelp quota.
KLSR Ltd. has invested about $75,000 in the commercial development of Arctic kelp during the past decade.
Copland says the kelp industry has the potential to be financially viable within three years of becoming operational.
However, during upcoming meetings with the DFO and Sustainable Development, he will stress that more funding is needed for resource mapping, growth studies, product development and marketing.
Copland says KLSR Ltd. is optimistic new Sustainable Development Minister Ulayok Akesuk will allocate more funding to help speed the fishery's development in Nunavut.
"We've been sort of discouraged because the Nunavut Government hasn't really grasped onto this in the past, but it's not really a sexy industry for them.
"Picking seaweed doesn't sound as exciting to them as other types of fisheries, but, if it employs people and brings new dollars into the region, it should be seriously supported."
