During the preparation of the business plan and market research, it became evident that a new company had to be created: to implement the business plan and the findings of the market research. It was also a marketing opportunity for the proposed company to create a niche in the fishing products market, where no similar fishing product exists to date.   Industry Canada has been cooperative from the start and provided funding through its Aboriginal Business Canada programme for the business plan and the filing of the Canadian and American patent applications on 18 December 2000.  It provided start-up funding for the first year operations and marketing for 2003.

Contact with IC/ABC is maintained through Naskapi-CEDO, a Naskapi Nation entity that delivers economic development programmes and services for Naskapi entrepreneurs in Kawawachikamach.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office examiner rejected some parts of our CAN/US-patent application claims stating; that the Ecolure “overlaps similar claims” of existing patents for “a spinner lure and a crankbait”.

Our argument has been and remains that the latter are two different types of fishing lures and the Ecolure was designed for a much different and specific type of a fishing lure.

We’ve appealed the USPTO-examiners rejection.

A Canadian Industrial Design Registration was issued on 10 March 2003, the U.S. Industrial Design Registration was issued on 15 July 2003.

During the company incorporation application it was discovered that a company by a similar name, although a different spelling was in existence.

The new holding company name is Kuiskun Ltd, an aboriginal term for a fishing lure was officially incorporated on 29 April 2003.

The Board of Directors of Kuiskun Ltd consists of Ms Cynthia Einish and Mr Bill (William) Mameanskum.

Mr John Mameamskum was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Kuiskun Ltd.

His mandate will be to supervise employees and to coordinate the company’s operations and administrative duties, including those that are contracted out to suppliers and to negotiate with distributors in Canada, United States and the International market.

The future of Kuiskun Ltd shows promise and provides an opportunity for a good profit-margin in the lucrative fishing products industry in the North American market.