Marine Fisheries Resource Assessment of Waters Adjacent to Kimmirut, Nunavut: Year I Report

• Main Authors: Grant, Scott, Walsh, Philip, Folkins, Margaret, Regular, Kirk
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Published: Marine Institute, Memorial University of Newfoundland 2018
• Subjects: Kimmirut; Nunavut
• Online Access: https://research.library.mun.ca/13380/; https://research.library.mun.ca/13380/1/2017%20Kimmirut%20Resource%20Assessment_Grant%20et%20al.%202018a.pdf

This study summarizes the refit of the 8.2 m LOA Government of Nunavut owned research vessel RV Papiruq to make it suitable for fisheries research in coastal (i.e., directly from shore) and inshore environments of the Nunavut Settlement Area. This refit included new wiring, outboard motors, steering, and fuel systems. The vessel was also outfitted with a hydraulic system suitable for hauling fisheries survey gear. Also a full electronics package was added to the vessel, the details of which are summarized in the current report. The vessel was equipped with a CTD and pole mounted multibeam sonar system for physical oceanographic data collection. Once refurbished the vessel was navigated to Kimmirut where the first year of a multi-year fisheries resource assessment was initiated. During Year I, meetings were held with the Mayukalik Hunters and Trappers Organization, fleets of baited pots were deployed at 17 sites, a scallop rake was towed at four sites, hook and line fishing took place at a lake that is open to the ocean at high tide, towed video sled surveys were conducted at five sites, multibeam sonar data was collected over a broad area, and a member of the community received training on the RV Papiruq throughout the research program.