A $2.6-million Qikiqtaaluk Corporation research vessel bearing the name of the late politician Ludy Pudluk left port in St. John’s on July 25, making its maiden voyage to Nunavut.
The ship will conduct inshore fishery research in Sanikiluaq and Kinngait over the next few months.
“Inshore fishery research in the Nunavut inshore has been minimum and we feel the utilization of the Ludy Pudluk, along with Inuit traditional knowledge, will help in improving our knowledge base of the fishery resources in the Qikiqtani inshore areas,” said Olayuk Akesuk, chairman of Qikiqtaaluk Corporation, who added that Sanirajak and Iglulik will benefit from inshore research in 2022.
Four crew members are aboard the ship — two from the Marine Institute and two Inuit technical crew trainees from Nunavut: Ted Irniq and Maatisui Manning.
The research vessel came about through a partnership among the Qikiqtaaluk Corporation, the Canadian Northern Economic Development Corporation, Northern Integrated Commercial Fisheries Initiative, Natural Research Council of Canada and the Government of Nunavut.
Qikiqtaaluk Corporation is the Qikiqtani Inuit Association’s development corporation.
Pudluk, a longtime resident of Resolute Bay, represented the High Arctic riding in the NWT territorial government over five terms, from 1975 to 1995, prior to Nunavut becoming a separate territory. He died in July 2019.
Correction: The Natural Research Council of Canada was incorrectly identified in a previous version of this story. Nunavut News apologies for the error.