IQALUIT - The federal government will be putting an additional $320,000 towards a fishing vessel which will be used by the Nunavut government to explore coastal waters for research purposes and to explore the potential for a successful fishery.

Premier Eva Aariak listens to Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development Canada Chuck Strahl as he announced additional federal funding has been put towards a fishing research vessel that will be used by the GN and other parties to explore waters in the territory. Strahl made the announcement in Iqaluit on May 20. - Emily Ridlington/NNSL photo

Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development Chuck Strahl said at a press conference on May 20 this brings the federal government's contribution to the project to approximately $2.2. million.

The money is being drawn from the $85 million Arctic Research Infrastructure Fund devoted to contributing funds to upgrade research facilities across the North.

"This will improve and increase Canada's capacity to study marine environments and assess ecosystems that are fundamental to the culture," said Strahl.

The 19.5 metre, 120 metric ton vessel is being constructed in Glovertown Shipyards in Newfoundland. While construction of the vessel is set to wrap up in November, Strahl said it will be ready to set sail in Northern waters by next spring.

The GN will use the vessel for research and to investigate the territory's inshore and offshore resources.

"To date relatively little is known about the potential for fisheries in Nunavut waters," said Premier Eva

Aariak.

Strahl said the additional money the government is contributing will be used to put in electronics and other devices to assist to assist in research efforts.

"This next pot of money is to bring it up to a standard that we can actually not just float on the ocean but give us the information we need as a research vessel as opposed to just a boat," he said.

With few ports in the territory, a home base for the vessel during the summer months has yet to be established. There are currently no ports suitable for docking a vessel of this size.

"We are working towards providing nice homes for such vessels in the North; I am hoping one day we will have a nice home for it," said Aariak.

In the late fall and winter months, the boat will be docked in Newfoundland.

The territory committed $263,000 for the purchase of equipment to be used on the vessel. The GN plans to charter the vessel to third parties including universities, research groups and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.

If third parties who charter the vessel require any additional equipment they will be required to pay for it, said the GN's deputy environment minister Simon Awa.

He said the research the territorial government conducts will have crew members from Nunavut who already have training on working on offshore fishing vessels. The vessel will host a crew of eight.

Awa projects annual operating costs of the vessel to be between $300,000 and $350,000. This money will come from the GN and the funds generated from the chartering of the vessel.

The vessel does not yet have a name.