Inuit-owned 'state of the art' fishing vessel christened in Iqaluit

Inuit-owned fishing company Baffin Fisheries christened its new vessel Inuksuk II in an Iqaluit ceremony earlier this week.

The new vessel is the "largest Canadian-owned fishing vessel" in the country, according to outgoing Baffin Fisheries CEO Chris Flanagan. 

Baffin Fisheries president Kavavow Mikijuk said the company is extremely proud that Nunavummuit got a chance to see the new "state of the art" vessel at Tuesday's ceremony.

Baffin Fisheries is owned by the Hunters and Trappers Associations of Pangnirtung, Iqaluit, Clyde River, Kimmirut, and Pond Inlet. All of the profits from the company are paid out as royalties to members of those communities. People from all five communities got to attend the ceremony, Mikijuk said.

The ship, known as a factory freezer trawler, will be out catching turbot and shrimp in Arctic waters, and will offload its cargo in Newfoundland.

The vessel is 80 metres long, 18 metres wide, and will be capable of carrying up to 1,300 tonnes of frozen-at-sea turbot or 930 tonnes of shrimp. It cost $72 million to build.

Speaking to CBC at the ceremony, Kavavow Mikijuk said the new larger vessel will be more efficient than the smaller Inuksuk I because it won't need to dock as often. He believes it will also create more jobs for Inuit at Baffin Fisheries — one of the company's goals.