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Nunavut and Greenland agree to form joint fisheries committee

The governments of Nunavut and Greenland have signed a memorandum of understanding committing to work together on developing their respective fisheries.

Greenland, Nunavut and Inuit organizations sign memorandum of understanding

A small commercial fishing vessel in the water.
The Arctic Fishery Alliance vessel Kiviuq I in the waters near Grise Fiord, Nunavut, in 2014. (Arctic Fishery Alliance)

The governments of Nunavut and Greenland have signed a memorandum of understanding committing to work together on developing their respective fisheries.

The agreement, which was also signed by Inuit organizations Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated (NTI) and Qikiqtani Inuit Association (QIA), was announced on Thursday. 

In the agreement, the parties pledge to form a new Greenland-Nunavut Fisheries Committee where QIA, NTI and both governments will be represented. 

"This committee will facilitate dialogue, information-sharing, and joint action on fisheries and related issues," a news release announcing the agreement said.

The release said the new committee will help both Nunavut and Greenland meet the shared goal of growing the fisheries industry in the Davis Strait and Baffin Bay in a sustainable way that reflects the values of Inuit in both places.

The government of Nunavut has not yet provided information as to what the process and timeline to form the Greenland-Nunavut Fisheries Committee will look like.