The Qikiqtani Inuit Association has expressed “significant disappointment” with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) for considering reissuing fishing licenses to non-Inuit operations off the coast of Nunavut. This decision by DFO comes despite a federal court judge ruling that the initial decision made by Ottawa was unreasonable.
In a news release on Friday, DFO mentioned that the proposal is based on the department’s “preliminary analysis,” without disclosing the specifics of the analysis. In 2021, the then DFO minister, Bernadette Jordan, reissued fishing licenses to a group of seven Mi’kmaq First Nations as part of the sale of Clearwater Foods to FNC Quota.
The Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. (NTI) and the Qikiqtani Inuit Association (QIA) took legal action against this decision since it would have provided an opportunity for Nunavut Inuit to acquire those fishing licenses, primarily for Greenland halibut and shrimp harvesting. However, Jordan transferred the licenses to the Mi’kmaq coalition, which acquired 50% of Clearwater Foods, a prominent fishing company in Atlantic Canada.
The two Nunavut Inuit organizations argue that the minister overlooked the provisions outlined in Article 15 of the Nunavut Agreement, which emphasize special consideration by the federal government when allocating commercial fishing licenses based on the proximity and economic reliance of local communities. This principle aims to ensure that local Nunavut communities benefit from the utilization of local resources.
In an April 2024 ruling, Federal Court Justice Paul Favel stated that Jordan’s decision in 2021 did not adhere to the special considerations outlined for Nunavut. DFO did not provide an interview to CBC News but mentioned in a news release that the redetermination process is being conducted transparently and fairly, taking into account the Nunavut Agreement.
Clearwater Seafoods, in a statement to CBC News, described the license transfer as a model of economic reconciliation, safeguarding the significant investment made by the Mi’kmaq in the Canadian fishing industry. QIA criticized DFO’s recent recommendations, stating that they perpetuate the existing status quo, allowing non-Nunavut entities to control commercial fisheries and undermining Nunavut’s economy and Inuit economic prosperity for future generations.
QIA highlighted in a 2023 document that the fishery sector in Nunavut is an underdeveloped aspect of the local economy and criticized the federal government for not equitably distributing commercial fishing licenses in Nunavut’s adjacent waters as required by the Nunavut Agreement. The organization estimated that between 1993 and 2022, Nunavut Inuit suffered approximately $1 billion in lost economic benefits and opportunities.
While the redetermination process is ongoing, DFO confirmed that the three affected fishing licenses remain valid under the name FNC Quota and can be used according to their terms until the final decision by the minister. Stakeholders have until January 9 to respond to DFO’s preliminary analysis before the department presents its final recommendation to the minister.