Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) has announced the launch of the $5-million Indigenous Fisheries Monitoring Fund to support Indigenous groups as they increase fisheries monitoring and catch reporting activities.
Fishery monitoring provides accurate information on fishing activities, such as how many fish are caught from each stock, and how many bycatch species are caught during a fishery. The DFO stated that it recognizes “that fisheries, oceans, aquatic habitat and marine waterways are of great social, cultural, spiritual and economic importance to many Indigenous peoples. Working with Indigenous peoples as they increase their capacity to monitor fisheries is key to providing dependable, timely, and accessible information for sustainable fisheries management.”
The fund will provide money for five years in order to build capacity for Indigenous groups and communities to participate in implementing the Fishery Monitoring Policy for federally managed fish stocks. It is open to Indigenous communities, Indigenous-led partnerships and commercial enterprises, Food, social and ceremonial (FSC) or subsistence fisheries, and academic or research organizations hired by Indigenous communities.
Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard said, “Indigenous harvesters have always made an important contribution to fishery monitoring and stewardship in Canada. This funding will support Indigenous groups as they continue the important work of fishery monitoring, which is essential to effective fish stock management in Canada.”
