NUNAVUT - A 1500-ton increase in the Canada's turbot quota has been confirmed – and Nunavut is getting 90 per cent of it.

Gail Shea, federal minister of fisheries and oceans, announced a new turbot quota last Monday. - Erika Sherk/NNSL photo

Federal fisheries minister Gail Shea made the announcement Nov. 9 in the Government of Canada building in Iqaluit, flanked by MP Leona Aglukkaq and Premier Eva Aariak

"Today the greatest potential for economic growth and development exists in the emerging fisheries," Shea said.

The increase brings the total turbot quota in the 0B fishing area, off the southeast shore of Baffin Island, to 7,000 tons.

Greenland also received a 1,500 ton increase. Nunavut's share of the total catch will now rise to 41 per cent from 27 per cent.

Nunavik is receiving the other 10 per cent of the quota increase, according to its land claims agreement.

It was welcome news to Jerry Ward, CEO of the Baffin Fisheries Coalition. The coalition represents Inuit-owned organizations in the Baffin, the majority of which are hunters and trappers associations.

"It's a good start," he said. "It's not where we want to be, but a very positive step forward."

The coalition has been lobbying the federal government, along with other stakeholders, for an increase in the quota for years.

"It's been a long battle for us," Ward said, adding that the announcement is "a step to improving relations."

Premier Aariak applauded the decision. "I can't stress enough the economic importance of this allocation to Nunavut," she said, adding, "there is still significant work to be done," to meet the new quota.

The territory is ready to take on the challenge, according to Ward. "There's no problem, we can accommodate the capacity quite nicely."

Nunavut fishers met the full quota the past fishing season, he said, calling it one of the best years on record for daily harvest.

Though Ward said he'd like to see more of the 0B quota go to Nunavut, he's content with the increase as it is.

"We're in concurrence with 25 per cent," said Ward. "We have to be conservation-minded."

The Nunavut Wildlife Management Board (NWMB) went to court in 2008 after a 1,900 ton quota off Baffin Island, unused by an Atlantic fishing company, was transferred to another Atlantic company. The NWMB argued that it should have been given to Nunavut. A federal judge upheld the decision in January but called for future quota decisions to give "special consideration" to Nunavut.

"I think it had a significant input into the announcements made here today," Ward said. "The ruling by the court was very clear, that the old process, according to the judge, was nothing but a sham."

The quota comes into effect in 2010. The quota was created based on science that shows healthy turbot populations, Shea said. "We're not actually moving quota from anyone, it's a new quota," she said.