The Innu community of Unamen Shipu is located 400 km north-east of Sept-Îles, on the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. The community occupies an area of 0.70 km2, not including the Nitassinan. Unamen Shipu, with a population of 1,050 inhabitants, is only accessible by boat or by plane. The main spoken languages are Innu-aimun and French. From a socio-economic standppoint, the community’s main activities are recreational tourism and natural resources.
Traditional hunting and trapping activities and crafting are still lively traditions. Moreover, the community has many Atlantic salmon outfitters and is trying to develop activities in line with the weekly passage of the supply boat. The community manages the local airport and is working on a project to extend Highway 138 east of Nutashkuan.
Fishing and processing activities
The community of Unamen Shipu commercially fishes three species (the American lobster, the snow crab and the Icelandic scallop) with 2 boats: the Persistance I and the Persistance II. It is also involved in operating the Rêve de Pierre (co-owned with the AMIK) for snow crab fishing. Unamen Shipu has many outfitters but only one is in operation on the Étamamiou River. Salmon fishing is only practiced by angling, by tourists and community members alike. On other rivers of the territory, salmon can also be fished with a gillnet. Subsistance lobster fishing, a traditional activity, is also really popular in the community.
As for processing and distribution, Unamen Shipu is involved in opening of a processing plant with the communities of Ekuanitshit, Nutashkuan and Pakua Shipu.