Fishing has helped sustain Inuit for generations.

Commercial fishing has allowed Nunavummiut like Enoo Bell and Kyle Aglukkaq to earn a good living, although it comes with sacrifices.

Bell has been a commercial fisher since the late 1980s when he took a four-day SA国际影视传媒渃rash courseSA国际影视传媒� in Iqaluit that allowed him to jump into the industry. That was back when regulations werenSA国际影视传媒檛 so stringent, he recalled.

HeSA国际影视传媒檚 been on hundreds of trips lasting from 15 to 25 days to harvest shrimp and turbot. He didnSA国际影视传媒檛 see his family for more than three months on one occasion in the early 1990s.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 hard to leave. Sometimes out there (you think), SA国际影视传媒榃hy am I here?SA国际影视传媒� And they need me at home right now SA国际影视传媒� the Ski-Doo needs fixing and the four-wheeler wonSA国际影视传媒檛 start. You know, stuff like thatSA国际影视传媒� he said.

On the other hand, his employer takes very good care of him and heSA国际影视传媒檚 pleased that Inuit have increasingly become rights-holders within the commercial fishing industry.

His commercial fishing career has taken him to places like Greenland, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Denmark, Norway and England.

The year-round journeys for the 30 crew aboard the Baffin Fisheries-owned MV Sivulliq SA国际影视传媒� one of six boats that Bell has worked on over his career SA国际影视传媒� start from Bay Roberts, Nfld., meaning Bell flies from his home community of Kinngait to Iqaluit, Ottawa, Toronto, Halifax and then to St. JohnSA国际影视传媒檚.

A typical 12-hour workday is spent over two six-hour shifts emptying shrimp from the vesselSA国际影视传媒檚 ramp or packing 5-kilogram boxes or 18-kilogram bags of the crustaceans. The destination for the seafood has varied over the years but the fish has been shipped to places such as Japan, Italy, Denmark, Korea, and China.

When not working, sleeping or eating, thereSA国际影视传媒檚 time aboard the fishing vessels to watch cable television, surf the internet or send emails, Bell noted.

SA国际影视传媒淭he boats are newer, more comfortable,SA国际影视传媒� he said of their evolution over decades.

The work is labour intensive but not as rigorous as the days when automation and mechanics werenSA国际影视传媒檛 as advanced, according to Bell.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 easier (today) in the factory SA国际影视传媒� itSA国际影视传媒檚 designed to be more efficient, faster-flowing from catch to having a finished product in the cargo hold,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淨uality control is an important one.SA国际影视传媒�

One of the most demanding tasks that periodically arises is clearing sea spray that can freeze on the foredeck and aft during winter storms. That ice coating the fixtures can be up to 30-centimetres thick, he said.

SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 worse than concrete. ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 the most tiring job is pounding ice,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

He has encountered rough seas many times, including rolling swells up to 24 metres, but he never felt that his life was in danger, he said.

On one occasion, the ship he was on struck an iceberg, but the boat was moving at a slow rate of speed SA国际影视传媒� approximately two knots SA国际影视传媒� and the damage was limited to the tip of the bow, so the vessel didnSA国际影视传媒檛 take on water.

One of the most alarming situations he can remember was being confronted by a huge elephant seal while he was in a Zodiac picking up pallets of packaging.

SA国际影视传媒淭hat was scary because this thing was massive. He never came towards me but he made a lot of noise,SA国际影视传媒� said Bell.

Despite occasional dangers, Bell said he feels at home on the ocean. His mother was sent south in the late 1950s while she was pregnant with him, so his introduction to being on a boat was in-utero, he said, chuckling.

However, at age 62, he knows his days on the water are winding down.

SA国际影视传媒淢any years at sea is hard on the body,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

SA国际影视传媒楾urned my life around financiallySA国际影视传媒�

ThereSA国际影视传媒檚 a waiting list of Nunavummiut seeking to gain experience similar to what Bell has acquired. The Nunavut Fisheries and Marine Training Consortium (NFMTC) guides Nunavut beneficiaries in becoming deckhands, engineers, factory workers and supervisors, marine diesel mechanics, fisheries observers, quality control managers, bridge officers, first and second mates, bosuns, cooks and shipSA国际影视传媒檚 captains.

Training is much more involved than it was in BellSA国际影视传媒檚 introductory phase. Today, there are numerous requisite courses focused on topics such as basic seamanship, life-saving, firefighting, emergency duties, marine emergencies and use of lifeboats, all of which Bell has since passed.

One of the new generation of commercial fishers is Gjoa HavenSA国际影视传媒檚 Kyle Aglukkaq.

SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檝e turned my life around financially, built a strong worth ethic and confidence SA国际影视传媒� all because of the opportunity NFMTC gave me,SA国际影视传媒� he said of his five years in the industry. SA国际影视传媒淐oming from my region, ISA国际影视传媒檝e never thought ISA国际影视传媒檇 end up working offshore, let alone fishing the north Atlantic.SA国际影视传媒�

He made the difficult decision to relocate to Yellowknife due to the potential for pandemic restrictions to disrupt his work flights, which take him to Edmonton, Toronto and St. JohnSA国际影视传媒檚. Then itSA国际影视传媒檚 about an hourSA国际影视传媒檚 drive to Bay Roberts, where he boards the Saputi, which belongs to Qikiqtaaluk Fisheries Corp.

SA国际影视传媒淏eing away from family takes its toll. I did have to leave my two-year-old and, at the time, five-day-old daughter to continue to pay the bills,SA国际影视传媒� said Aglukkaq. SA国际影视传媒淚t was a very tough decision but it was what I had to do.SA国际影视传媒�