Book Description

This study was initiated for the Inuvialuit, by the Fisheries Joint Management Committee (FJMC), to assess opportunities for commercial fishery development in the Canadian Beaufort Sea-Amundsen Gulf area. Reviews of existing knowledge did not find invertebrate or fish stocks in the area capable of sustaining a viable commercial export fishery. They found that coastal and offshore commercial fisheries in arctic Canada are severely constrained by environmental, social, and economic factors. Lacking a proven resource base, the FJMC has two recommended options if it plans to proceed with fishery development: 1 ) to conduct biological stock assessment research in hope of locating a suitable stock, and 2) to seek1 development opportunities in other areas such as sport fisheries. Before any commercial development proceeds, it should have local support, be sustainable, and optimize benefits to the Inuvialuit. Given the difficulty and cost of fishery research and development in the area, it is vital that interested parties such as the FJMC, government, and others formulate an overall research and development strategy and work cooperatively towards its completion. An approach to fishery development is described, with a discussion of constraining factors and specific project recommendations