Nunavut Fisheries Association (NFA)

June 9, 2018

Items for Discussion

Background on NFA and its Members

Marine Protection in the Eastern Arctic

Collaborative Approach to Establishing Fishery Closures

International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Standards

NFA Concerns

Continuing the collaboration: Ocean Literacy – getting the message out

NFA Formed in 2012 to represent the common interests of

the commercial fishing industry in Nunavut; Membership consists of the four Inuit owned companies

which hold 100% of Nunavut’s share of offshore Shrimp and Turbot Allocations administered through the NWMB:

Development of the Nunavut Fishery

Success through Collaboration and Partnerships: Historically a small-scale, traditional subsistence food fishery,

primarily for Arctic char;

Growth and maturing of Nunavut fishing industry. Nunavut is now part of the Atlantic commercial fishery, utilizing large factory freezer vessels for supply to world markets:

Four Nunavut primary offshore allocation holders;

Growth in Allocations and Share of adjacent fishery resources: turbot from 27.27% to over 73%; shrimp from 19% to 38%;

From no vessels owned to three offshore factory freezer trawlers and two fixed gear factory freezer vessels;

Major investments in infrastructure, fishing licenses, science and research, and training;

Increasing returns and benefits to Nunavummiut – landed value of $100 M.

Nunavut Harvesting: Factory Freezer

Vessels

Our Members

Four members all owned by the Inuit of the Qikiqtani region:

Arctic Fishery Alliance: owned by the HTAs and hamlets of Qikiqtarjuaq, Grise Fiord, Arctic Bay, and Resolute Bay;

Baffin Fisheries: owned by the HTAs of Iqaluit, Pond Inlet, Clyde River, Kimmirut, and Pangnirtung;

Pangnirtung Fisheries/Cumberland Sound Fisheries: owned by the HTA in Pangnirtung as well as other shareholders in the community;

Qikiqtaaluk Corporation: Inuit Birthright Corporation for the Qikiqtani region.

Fishery Closures

Agreement on three closure areas reached through extensive consultation and collaboration between stakeholder groups

Marine Protection in the Eastern Arctic

Eastern Arctic Fishing Closures

8

Effective Dec. 31, 2017

• Hatton Basin

Conservation Area

• Davis Strait

Conservation Area

• Disko Fan

Conservation Area

Hatton Basin Conservation Area

9

• Objective to conserve

sensitive benthic

areas

• Closed to all bottom

contact fishing gear

• 42,459 km2

Davis Strait Conservation Area

10

• Objective to conserve

sensitive benthic areas

• Closed to all bottom contact

fishing gear

• 17,298 km2

Disko Fan Area

11

• Closed to groundfish fishing since 2008

• Objectives o to minimize impacts on

winter food source and overwintering habitat for Narwhal

o to conserve coral concentrations

• 3 overlapping closures • Closure to groundfish

fishing with mobile gear

Disko Fan Area

12

• Closure to groundfish fishing with fixed gear

Disko Fan Area

13

• Closure to shrimp fishing

Disko Fan Area

14

• 7,586 km2 towards Marine

Conservation Targets

Achieved through Extensive Collaboration Jan. Eastern Arctic Groundfish Stakeholder Advisory Committee

(EAGSAC) establish Marine Conservation Working Group (MC WG)

Mar. Northern shrimp fishery stakeholder meeting

Mar. - Jun. Six MC WG meetings. Extensive discussions/negotiations between Industry and ENGO WG members on a daily to weekly basis.

Jun. Presentations to 4 co-management partners on Disko Fan closure adjustments and proposed Hatton Basin closure

Jul. MC WG report to EAGSAC

Sept./Oct. Presentations on proposed Davis Strait closure to 2 co-management boards

Dec. 21 Ministerial announcement; Notice to Fishers advising of new Eastern Arctic closures effective Dec. 31

MC WG Membership (in addition to DFO) Dave Bollivar (Arctic Fishery Alliance)

Brian Burke (Nunavut Fisheries Association)

Bruce Chapman (Canadian Association of Prawn Producers)

Susanna Fuller (Ecology Action Center)

Patrick Martin (Baffin Fisheries Coalition)

Jeffrey Maurice (Nunavut Tunngavik Inc.)

Alastair O’Rielly (Northern Coalition)

Peter Rose/Mark O’Connor (Makivik)

Sakiasie Sowdlooapik (Cumberland Sound Fisheries Ltd./Pangnirtung Fisheries Ltd. Partnership)

Trevor Taylor (Oceans North)

Kris Vascotto (Groundfish Enterprise Allocation Council)

Jerry Ward (Qikiqtaaluk Corporation)

Adhering to IUCN Standards IUCN Standards globally accepted:

Canada is an IUCN member, should follow these standards

Nunavut fishing industry is used to following international standards:

Turbot and shrimp resources shared stocks with Greenland, follow NAFO scientific advice

Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) Certification in place for shrimp, application in process for turbot

NFA Concerns Meeting the IUCN Standards:

Will exemptions for other industries (oil and gas) in fishing closure areas exempt our fishing closures from acceptance under these standards;

Has all our extensive effort been wasted – if closed to fishing, areas should be closed to all industrial activity which causes negative impacts to conservation objectives

Targeting the North for closures: Although the commercial fishery is relatively new in the North, it is

identified as a major economic driver providing sustainable employment and benefits;

Large data gaps exist on potential inshore/offshore fishery opportunities for the future – don’t limit our future potential;

Need to ensure that DFO adheres to its commitment to not overly burden the north with closures, as compared to other regions.

Continuing the Collaboration Development of a music video on coral and sponges, to

highlight to the public the importance of protected areas

Collaborative effort between many of the groups on the MC WG – Industry, ENGOs, DFO, GN and NWMB

Developed and produced in Nunavut with local school children and two local celebrities

Video released on June 4th, receiving positive response and media coverage