Inuit inshore harvesters of northern Labrador have scheduled a protest for Tuesday morning, May 28th, at 8 a.m. (8:30 a.m. in Newfoundland) outside all Nunatsiavut Government buildings in the province. 

“We encourage all Inuit harvesters, their families, and non-harvesters alike to support us against this grave injustice,” says organizer and Inuit harvester Lisa Blandford. 

In past years the Nunatsiavut government has distributed its annual federal allocation of shrimp off northern Labrador to more than 20 inshore harvesters or designates. This year, however, seven Inuit harvesters say the Nunatsiavut government has denied them a 2024 share of northern shrimp quota in favour of an Inuit designate with a factory-freezer trawler, displacing as many as 40 inshore harvesters along the north Labrador coast.

DFO is expected to open the shrimp fishery off northern Labrador in fishing zones 4 and 5 any day.

But the Nunatsiavvut Government has issued a statement in response to address what it calls “misinformation” around the allocation of commercial fisheries quotas for beneficiaries of the Labrador Inuit Land Claims Agreement.

“Annually, from January 15 to February 28, fishers submit applications to the Nunatsiavut Government for commercial fisheries participation. The Nunatsiavut Government received 19 applications in 2024, and 13 were designated quotas across various fisheries, including Northern shrimp, snow crab, Greenland halibut, and stewardship cod. All applications undergo rigorous scoring using consistent metrics. Regardless of designation, each applicant receives a response letter outlining their score.
Beneficiary vessel owners residing within the Labrador Inuit Settlement Area (which includes the Labrador Inuit communities of Nain, Hopedale, Postville, Makkovik and Rigolet) receive priority under the Nunatsiavut Government’s Commercial Fishery Designation Policy. Beneficiary vessel owners residing outside of LISA would receive less priority under the policy.

“The Nunatsiavut Minister of Lands and Natural Resources makes all final decisions on allocations based on recommendations from the Fisheries Advisory Committee and the Deputy Minister. Community information sessions were held prior to the implementation of the multi-year designation policy in 2021. All designates were informed of the policy. All fishing vessels in 2024 comply with the Nunatsiavut Government’s licensing requirements.

“Issuing quotas based on the multi-year designate policy, guided by input from Beneficiaries and sustainable practices, ensures maximum economic wealth for Nunatsiavut resident fishers. The Nunatsiavut Government will continue to work to ensure the long-term economic benefits of its fisheries remain in Labrador Inuit communities, rather than being diverted to other regions, and will not be deterred by misinformation, mistruths and rumours. The Nunatsiavut Government has been fair and transparent throughout this whole process, and will continue to do so.”