(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am going to be talking about the Cumberland Sound fish harvest. The fishing industry is becoming an area of great economic importance for the Baffin Region. There are two fisheries in Pangnirtung which launch their winter fish harvest from Cumberland Sound. I am very pleased to inform the House that the harvest this winter was a successful one overall. As of early June, P and L Services had reported a harvest of 475,000 pounds of fish from Cumberland Sound, and the Cumberland Sound Fisheries had reported 504,000 pounds. This is a total catch of 979,000 pounds. The large majority of the fish harvest was turbot or Greenland halibut, although there was some char caught as well. This is over 600,000 pounds more fish than was caught last year, and we
are still below our quota.
Mr. Speaker, this catch means that approximately $550,000 was paid to 115 fishermen for their labour in Cumberland Sound. This is employment for local people that did not exist six years ago. Virtually all the turbot was shipped to markets in southern Canada and the United States. Industry-related income to the Pangnirtung area, including prices paid to fishermen, wages and use of local aircraft services, has been estimated in a range of $800,000.
Mr. Speaker, this is money that is now in Pangnirtung that was not there six years ago, and this is money that is coming from the South because of the vision and hard work of Pangnirtung residents. Mr. Speaker, I am proud of the efforts and achievements of the people of Baffin Island.