Clyde River (Apr 24/06) - Nunavut's newest fishing group is now anchored in the business world.

Mammaqtulirijiit Fisheries Corporation, based in Clyde River, became incorporated March 24.

Mammaqtulirijiit means "people who deal with good food" in Inuktitut. President Nick Illuaq hopes it will mean people who deal with lots of good food soon.

"We are going to apply for the whole 2,500 tonne turbot allocation," said Illuaq. He is referring to the increased turbot quota federal fisheries minister Loyola Hearns recently handed over entirely to Nunavut.

The quota is in area OA - adjacent to Clyde River and other North Baffin communities.

The company is ready to fish, said Illuaq. "We have partners willing to rent us boats. We have everything available to us that we need. Now, we just need quota so we can catch some fish," he said.

Employing Clyde River residents through the fishing company is what drives Illuaq, he said.

He hopes when the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board decides which Nunavut companies get the quota, it will take this reality into consideration, he said.

"If the NWMB has a choice it will either go with community-based fishermen or Royal Greenland or foreign fishermen, in other words the Baffin Fisheries Coalition," he said. "Who deserves it more, Royal Greenland or the people in Clyde River? If Clyde gets it, Canada gets it, and if BFC gets it, Greenland gets it."

The Baffin Fisheries Coalition denied it has ties with Greenland or other foreign fisheries. The hunters and trappers organization in Clyde River remains a partner with BFC.