For the second consecutive year, the Quaqtaq Uumajulirijiit — or local hunters and trappers association — will not harvest a bowhead whale, because it says it doesn't have the money or time to properly prepare.

​Johnny Oovaut, the chair of the association, says running a hunt is too much for one community.

"Traditionally Inuit hunted without expecting any money for hunting and we do hunt for ourselves without expecting to get paid," Oovaut said in Inuktitut.

"We want to do that, but right now I guess it's just not possible."

​Oovaut says he wants Nunavimmiut to know that hunters are not giving up on hunting a bowhead whale in the future, saying that a hunt could create seasonal jobs for residents without steady employment.

"We'll have to lobby from organizations to help us with that; no one organization has a bowhead hunt budget."

Going forward, Oovaut says he will be connecting with other Inuit to work on a plan.

He says Quaqtaq may consider having a winter hunt in 2016.