Sailing to success in Nunavut’s fishery?

KIRSTEN MURPHY

Leesee Papatsie is doing what no woman – or man – has ever done in Nunavut.

The former Department of Fisheries and Oceans employee has started Jencor Fisheries Ltd, the first Inuit-owned offshore fishing company based in Iqaluit.

Admittedly, she has a long way to go. She has no multi-million dollar trawler, no trained staff, and most importantly, no quota to fish.

What Papatsie has is the vision to enter an industry long dominated by outside interests.

“When people see what I’m doing, I hope they step forward,” said the soft-spoken Papatsie, who once taught Environmental Studies at Arctic College. “The [cost of a vessel] is minor compared to getting quota.”

The main problems facing Nunavut’s fishing industry are the lack of boats, a deep-sea port and trained staff to fish offshore. The solution, so far, has been for the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board and the Baffin Fisheries Coalition (BFC) to enter into licence-sharing agreements with companies like Clearwater, Farocan and Ocean Prawn.

This means millions of dollars and dozen of jobs go to people outside the territory. That may soon change.

Her goal is to get 750 tonnes of turbot and 500 tonnes of shrimp to start with. Revenue generated from that quota would cover the cost of operating and staffing a deep-sea trawler, she said. Down the road, she wants to employ 25-35 people and offer a mentorship program.

“One of Jencor’s long-term goals is to see the vessel captained and crewed entirely by Inuit,” Papatsie said.

Her fingers are crossed that she’ll start fishing this year. In reality, though, her commercial fishing dreams won’t start for at least another year.

Several thousand tonnes of turbot and shrimp are scooped out of Baffin Bay and Davis Strait each year, even though Nunavut holds licenses to fish in these waters.

Papatsie is one of several entrepreneurs hoping to cash in on Nunavut’s emerging shrimp and turbot industry.

Another person is John Andrews of Arctic Harvesters in Nova Scotia. Andrews recently purchased an aging 285-foot factory freezer trawler. He’s working on finding an Inuit partner or partners who would eventually control more than 50 per cent of the company.

Inuit organizations like the Qikiqtaaluk Corporation have considered purchasing a boat for years. However, the amount of revenue generated from the short fishing seasons in Zones OA and OB, has in part, influenced their decision not to purchase a boat.

Papatsie knows her vision is grand. She knows her resources are limited. Yet she keeps knocking on doors.

Twice she’s gone to the NWMB and the BFC. Twice she’s been turned down because she doesn’t have a boat.

But no one will sell her a boat. Furthermore, her investors won’t supply the money to buy a vessel, until she has a licence to fish.

“It’s a Catch-22. No quota, no vessel,” Papatsie said.

Undeterred, she’s seeking the advice of a consultant and is penning a back-up plan. Failing that, she vows to persevere.

“You didn’t ask me how I’m going to do it. If you did, I’d say I don’t know. All I know,” she said placing a hand on her heart, “is that what I’m doing feels right. I’m going to find a way. I really believe in Nunavut taking part.”