NUNAVUT - Cape Dorset, Kugaaruk and Rankin Inlet have been chosen as the three communities to hold bowhead whale hunts in Nunavut this summer.

In May, the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans boosted the total allowable harvest in Nunavut to three after much urging by beneficiaries to remove the limits altogether.

Under the new regulations, each community is allowed one whale each.But there is still a lot more to be done - and more red tape to cross - before the hunt can begin.

"The DFO wants to know before each community hunts how exactly their hunt is going to be conducted - on paper," said Gabriel Nirlungayuk, director of wildlife management at Nunavut Tunngavik Inc.

Nirlungayuk added that includes everything from the beginning to end of the hunt, such as who is going to be at the hunt, how many boats, the exact procedure, the exact equipment, what is going to be done with the whale after it has been harvested, how are they going to cut it - and the list goes on.

Rankin Inlet had planned to hold its hunt in late July, but now the HTO doubts that will be the case."It's all up to DFO. It's all in their hands now," said Rankin Inlet HTO manager Norman Ford.

Kugaaruk plans to hold its hunt at the end of August or early September and Cape Dorset has not yet set a date.

But submitting plans to DFO isn't the only preparation the hunting groups must make.

Hunters will also have to be trained in the new equipment used on the hunt and that's where NTI and Nirlungayuk come in.

One key piece of equipment NTI teaches hunters how to use is a penthrite grenade, which replaced the traditional black powder grenades.

Unlike the volatile black powder grenades, penthrite grenades use air pressure and come with numerous safety mechanisms.

"It only takes a day, a good day (for training). The biggest thing is - for people that don't know this device - it's very intimidating because you are working with an explosive device," said Nirlungayuk He added all hunters who are being trained must show NTI representatives they can handle the device before they are given the go-ahead to use it.

After that, all it takes is confidence. "If they're confident, then we're confident," he said.

Nirlungayuk said it's important to remember there is a generation gap between those who participated in commercial whaling before the moratorium and those that have started hunting under total allowable harvest rules in recent years.

It's NTI's job to fill that gap with the appropriate training and information, where needed.

"Now a lot of hunters don't need any training, that's for sure," laughed Nirlungayuk.