WORLD WILDLIFE FUND CANADA

Published purpose

A three-year project to create small scale community-owned commercial fisheries in Arviat, Kinngait, and Sanikiluaq. In partnership with Research institutes from Université du Québec à Rimouski and Marine Institute at Memorial University, the project will identify fishing opportunities by 1) determining harvest levels 2) establishing potential markets for harvesters. By doing fisheries tests and surveys in the first year, the project will determine the state of the fish stocks in the three communities mentioned above. It will also initiate experimental fisheries frameworks in Sanikiluaq and Kinngait by 2025. These exploratory fisheries will lead to the commercial operation of whitefish fishery in Arviat by 2021. Fisheries are integral to Nunavut’s economy as well as contributing to the cultural identity of the territory.