The Honourable Gail Shea, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, has announced that the Canadian total allowable catch (TAC) for the Northwest Atlantic Fishery Organization (NAFO) Division 0B Greenland halibut (turbot) fishery has been set at 7,000 tonnes.
This is an increase of 1,500 tonnes from last year. Nunavut will receive 90 per cent of the increase and Inuit fishers in Nunavik will receive the remaining 10 per cent.
Increasing economic opportunities in Nunavut is key to Canada’s Northern Strategy, which was announced in March 2008. Prime Minister Stephen Harper has noted Nunavut’s interest in increasing opportunities for its residents in commercial fisheries in waters adjacent to the territory. This commitment was further strengthened in August 2009 when the Prime Minister visited Pangnirtung to announce the construction of a new small craft harbour for the territory’s growing fishing industry.
The NAFO Division 0B Greenland halibut stock is part of a shared stock between Denmark (Greenland) and Canada. The total TAC for the region for the upcoming fishery is 14,000 tonnes, split evenly between the two countries. The decision to increase the TAC by 3,000 tonnes was based on a stock assessment by the NAFO Scientific Council.
