Building a Fisheries Economy

Through Coastal First Nations and the North Coast-Skeena First Nations Stewardship Society, First Nations communities have come together to build a Fisheries Reconciliation Table with Canada.

A Fisheries Table will establish a nation-to-nation decision-making process between First Nations and Canada to give our communities:

  • Priority access to fisheries resources for food and commercial needs
  • A greater say in how fisheries are managed in our Traditional Territories
A First Nations Fisheries Reconciliation Table

What Do We Hope to Achieve?

A Fisheries Reconciliation Table will put First Nations at the table as equal partners with Canada to:

Develop a nation-to-nation relationship between First Nations and Canada on governance and management of marine resources.

  • Merge traditional knowledge with science to determine the size of commercial fisheries
  • Protect and prioritize First Nations access to food fish
  • Ensure monitoring and enforcement through stewardship offices and Coastal Watchmen programs

Stimulate the coastal economy and create economic fisheries opportunities and jobs to support healthy, self-sustaining First Nations communities and regions.

  • Secure greater access to fishing licenses and quotas
  • Create greater flexiblity in how we fish
  • Secure community control of aquaculture development
  • Build marine infrastructure
  • Increase new training opportunities

A Fisheries Reconciliation will bring First Nations together with Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) and Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada (INAC) to collaboratively find ways to reach these goals. Helping to create predictability, cooperation and peace on the water for all users.