NUNAVUT WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT BOARD

MINUTES: CONFERENCE CALL No. 40

MONDAY, 20 JULY 1998

Agenda

Call to Order

Agenda

Request by CAPP for Permission to Fish for Shrimp in NSA Waters

Adjournment

1. Call to Order

The Chairperson, Ben Kovic, convened the Conference Call at 11:00 a.m.

2. Agenda

Ben Kovic advised the Members that there was only one agenda item, that being to consider the recent request from the Canadian Association of Prawn Producers (CAPP) for permission to fish for shrimp in certain waters of the Nunavut Settlement Area (NSA) in 1998.

3. Request by CAPP for Permission to Fish for Shrimp in NSA Waters

Jim Noble referred the Members to the details of the CAPP request, as contained in their letter of July 7. Specifically CAPP is seeking permission, as they have in other years, for vessels fishing on behalf of their licence holders to fish within the waters of the NSA (within 12 miles of shore) in order to:

•  Exploit the 500 tonne quota of striped pink shrimp that has not yet been specifically allocated in the vicinity of Resolution Island (Shrimp Fishing Areas 2 and 3).

•  Fully explore the potential for shrimp fishing in Shrimp Fishing Area 0.

Dan Pike advised the Members that the DFO Minister, in responding to the final decision of the Board communicated to him on March 6, had:

•  Made available 500 tonnes of striped pink shrimp for allocation by the NWMB within the NSA portion of Shrimp Fishing Areas 2 and 3. This is the quota that was allocated by the Board in the course of Conference Call 39.

•  Made available up to 500 additional tonnes of striped pink shrimp, for exploitation at the discretion of the NWMB, in these same waters. This is one of the items to which CAPP is now seeking access.

Dan also confirmed to the Members that a 500 tonne exploratory shrimp quota is in effect in Shrimp Fishing Area 0 with access restricted, unless declared otherwise by the NWMB, to waters outside the NSA. CAPP is seeking NWMB approval to include NSA waters in a proposed exploratory venture. Dan also reminded the Members that membership in CAPP is now confined to shrimp licence holders who are headquartered in the Maritime Provinces. Licence holders headquartered in Nunavut plus Nunavik (total of three), along with Labrador, recently constituted themselves in/as the Northern Coalition.

Discussion focussed initially on the request by CAPP for access by their licence holders to the NSA area around Resolution Island. Ray Andrews pointed out that while there were real and legitimate distinctions among the groups of licence holders, the same few vessels in fact did all of the actual shrimp fishing, including on behalf of licence holders from Baffin. Vessel operations and the logistics of the overall fishery would be simpler and more effective in proportion to the extent that distinctions regarding access by different groups of licence holders were minimized. Dan Pike advised that the Nunavut licence holders had made informal representation to the effect that they were counting on preferred access to all of the available near-shore shrimp quotas around Resolution Island in order to support their fishing plans. Those plans included the experimental use of a smaller (less than 65-foot) vessel. Dan also noted that the aspirations of the Nunavut fishing ventures were not covered in/by the CAPP request since the Nunavut ventures were no longer members of CAPP.

Kevin McCormick stressed that it was important for the Board to seek benefits for Nunavut interests in making allocation decisions of this nature. Such benefits need not necessarily be immediate. Dan Pike indicated that he could identify no tangible benefits that might accrue to Nunavut interests from permitting access by CAPP licence holders to fish in NSA waters around Resolution Island. The Board decided to deny this portion of the CAPP request. (Resolution 99-057)

The Board turned its attention to the portion of the CAPP request for access to fish in Shrimp Fishing Area 0. This would be an exploratory fishery, and access to the inshore would help to round out the survey. Dan Pike advised the Members that very little was/is known about the nature and extent of shrimp stocks in this region. Ray Andrews pointed out that large-boat operators and companies have indicated a greater occurrence of larger and older shrimp in inshore waters, and obtaining confirmation on this matter could have significant management implications for conservation in the future. Ray emphasized the potential value of information on stock status and distribution for Nunavut fishery planning. Ray also noted that Nunavut fishers were unlikely to be in a position soon to participate in surveying and/or utilizing this resource, and suggested that granting access to CAPP members could be a beneficial way to build a positive working relationship. Meeka Mike expressed strong reservations about large and unfamiliar shrimp vessels showing up to fish near shore in Area 0 without input from or at least prior awareness of the local communities. David Tagoona suggested that the HTAs in the region would have to be consulted. Dan Pike warned that any successful venture, even if only exploratory at the outset, would inevitably be cited as a precedent. This could be in conflict with the local HTAs, who have indicated unanimous interest in trying to move into the shrimp fishery themselves. Kevin McCormick suggested that even an experimental fishery should carry a requirement for joint-venturing with local fishing interests, if not immediately then at least in any ensuing seasons.

Gordon Koshinsky suggested that permission for access might be granted to CAPP members in the context of a request by the Board to those members to provide information on the stock(s) and on the best ways to fish them, and that the interim nature of any such approval could be stressed. Gordon made a Motion to the effect that, whereas the NWMB aims to promote the use of local fishery resources for the benefit of Nunavut fishing interests; and whereas the NWMB recognizes that exploration of Shrimp Fishing Area 0 is desirable to determine the potential for fishery development; therefore be it resolved that the NWMB support the request by CAPP to explore the inshore areas of Area 0 for potential commercial development on a one-time basis only, with the long-term intent of facilitating the development of these fisheries for the benefit of Nunavut interests.

The Motion received a Seconder, but was defeated in the ensuing vote.

4. Adjournment

The Conference Call adjourned at 12:30 p.m.

Minutes Approved by:___________________________ _________________ 

                                                             Chairperson                                 Date