Kassina Ryder
Northern News Services
Published Monday, July 21, 2008

IQALUIT - Nunavut's first certified fisheries observers graduated from the Fisheries Observer Program in Iqaluit last month.

Patrick Audlaluk of Grise Fiord and Tuppaungai Qatsiya of Cape Dorset are the first Nunavummiut to graduate from the course, which started out with nine students in October 2007, according to Michael Walsh, project manager for the Nunavut Fisheries Training Consortium. All programs offered through the consortium are only open to Nunavut Land Claims Beneficiaries.

Audlaluk and Qatsiya spent the first six weeks of the 10-week program in Iqaluit learning introductory skills such as chart reading and GPS operation, Audlaluk said. The next four weeks were spent in St. John's, Nfld., training at the Marine Institute of the Memorial University of Newfoundland.

"While we were in St. John's it was more like hands-on experience," said Audlaluk. "I had to go up on the bridge and fill in some information on the co-ordinates and do some calculations on the production daily."

The marine training in St. John's consisted of practical lab work followed by 45 days of job shadowing at sea, Walsh said. Audlaluk and Qatsiya put their skills to the test working alongside professional observers on fishing vessels.

"It was a good experience, especially going down south to Newfoundland and being on the boats," Audlaluk said. "That was really something else."

The Fisheries consortium covered all expenses related to the program including tuition, all travel costs and accommodations, Walsh said. Travel costs include flying students to and from their home communities when they start and end the program.

Funding for the program comes from various organizations including the Baffin Fisheries Coalition, Human Resources Development Canada, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada and Kakivak Association. Hunters and Trappers organizations throughout the territory also help out by putting potential students in touch with the consortium and promoting the programs.

There are plenty of jobs available on the water, according to Baffin Fisheries Coalition crewing manager David Alexander.

"We are in big dire straits for any crew members," he said.

He added there are approximately 20 graduates of consortium programs currently working on boats owned by the Baffin coalition and companies affiliated with it.

The next Fisheries Observer Program will begin in the fall, but some other programs, such as the Marine Diesel Mechanic course, will start in August. The course is 35 weeks long and includes a work term. Applicants must have high school diploma to qualify and will be certified as diesel mechanics by Transport Canada when they finish the program.

As for Audlaluk, he plans on putting his certificate to work by getting a job in his field. "I'll go to work from here," he said. "Work in some other boats. I'll start working from Iqaluit."