Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Sep 09/02) - An exploratory fishery is underway in Cumberland Sound to determine the value and size of its fish stocks.

A four-man crew of Panniqtuuq fishers and researchers from the Marine Institute in Newfoundland headed out on a 28-day, $100,000 test fishery last week. The crew is trying to determine if commercial fisheries of Greenland halibut, shrimp and snow crab are viable.

The project is being sponsored by the Nunavut Department of Sustainable Development, the Baffin Fisheries Coalition, Department of Indian and Northern Affairs and the Kakivak Association. The Pangnirtung Hunters and Trappers Association is also involved with the project.

Carey Bonnell, director of fisheries and sealing for the Department of Sustainable Resources, said there's no question Greenland halibut thrive in Cumberland Sound waters. The question is, can the stock handle a fishery?

"Until we get out there and actually test the areas, we're not going to know what resources we have to develop," he said.

"So from that standpoint, the focus is to try to turn out commercial quantities of Greenland halibut to see if we can look at developing an open-water fishery," he said.

The survey is also geared at testing shrimp pot technology in Cumberland Sound waters. Nova Scotia fishers have used the equipment -- essentially cylindrical traps -- successfully for several years.

"We've had locals telling us that the bellies of all the seals they bring in are full of shrimp. So we want to start targeting those areas to see of we can develop a small-scale potting technology shrimp fishery in this area," said Bonnell.

Shrimp pots are known as "passive gear," according to Bonnell, which means they are environmentally friendly, but require considerable training to use properly. That's where researchers from the Marine Institute come in. They will be on hand training local fisherman to use state-of-the-art fishing gear.

The stakeholders are also looking at developing a crab fishery in the region, just as Greenland and Labrador have done in recent years.

"This is something that hasn't been identified in the Nunavut region yet, but it's something I think has some potential," Bonnell said.

"This is sort of a first step to try to identify a resource and we will be basing decisions on information of known habitat, bottom type, temperature and things like that."

In fact, crews will be using temperature gauges on some of the gear to determine deep-water temperatures in the Cumberland Sound area.

"Based on all this information we can make some good decisions as to whether or not this resource exists in the region," said Bonnell.

Sustainable Development is planning to continue with similar test fisheries in the region over the next few years, expanding further up the coast towards Clyde River.

Moe Keeninak, chair of the Panqnirtung Hunters and Trappers Organization, was unavailable for comment last week.