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| New Players In The Province's Fishery |
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For Immediate Release St. John’s, NL, October 22, 2009 The Atlantic Optimist, a fishing vessel wholly owned and operated by the Innu of Labrador is expected to arrive in St. John’s this evening to land its first catch of 115 tonnes of Greenland Halibut/Turbot harvested in Zone 0b in the Davis Strait. The factory freezer trawler is the property of Ueueshuk Fisheries Limited, a company operated by the Innu Development Limited Partnership (IDLP). Tomorrow morning at 9:00 a.m. the leadership of the Labrador Innu, (Grand Chief of the Innu Nation Mark Nui, Deputy Grand Chief Peter Penashue, Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation Chief Anastasia Qupee and Mushuau Innu First Nation Prote Poker) will be on hand dockside to greet the vessel’s captain, Lot Short, a Newfoundlander, and crew, all from either Newfoundland and Labrador or Nova Scotia. “Fish is a renewable resource and the fishery is at the heart of the province’s economy” stated Grand Chief Nui. “We are getting involved in this industry for the very long term, for the benefit of the Innu people and the province as a whole.” Ueueshuk Fisheries Limited has ambitious plans. Its vessel presently fishes Greenland Halibut/Turbot in the Davis Strait but it also has a quota for Atlantic Halibut in the 3Ps Zone, off the south coast of the island of Newfoundland. All of its fish is being sold to China and Vietnam. The company intends to keep its vessel fishing year-round and to acquire more quotas for underdeveloped species such as Grenadier. One opportunity for more quotas may come later this year when NAFO (North American Fisheries Organization) announces new quota allocations in the 0b zone. According to Fred Hall, Business Manager for IDLP, “The Innu want to diversify their business interests and a part of that will be to look for opportunities in the fishery. The price of fish is good, the markets are good, and IDLP will consider acquiring more vessels, this is an important expression of confidence in the province’s fishery.” -30- For more information: Peter Penashue Deputy Grand Chief Innu Nation and Advisor to IDLP (709) 897-4019 This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it |