by Marc Laframboise, MMNN Contributor

Though many people might not know this, Canada has one of the most valuable fishing industries in the world. It generates over $5 billion a year and provides employment for more than 130,000 Canadians. With access to a naturally abundant water supply and capacity building support, it is no wonder that Aboriginal communities have been investing in their fisheries. In just over one a decade, the Aboriginal commercial fishery and aquaculture sectors have grown at a steady pace. Although much has been accomplished to this point, First Nations believe much more is on the horizon. To bridge the informational gap between Aboriginal communities, industry leaders, and government representatives, the Atlantic Policy Congress of First Nations Chiefs Secretariat (APC) created a national forum that brings these parties together to discuss ways to maximize the economic development potential of Canada’s Aboriginal fisheries and aquaculture sectors. The first National Aboriginal Fisheries Forum (NAFF I) held in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia from March 29 to 31, 2011, brought key fishery industry leaders together with Aboriginal and government representatives to build relationships and share best practices associated with Aboriginal economic development in fisheries. Building on the success of the first forum, a second National Aboriginal Fisheries Forum (NAFF II) is scheduled to be held October 2 to 4, 2012 in Nanaimo, British Colombia.

Aboriginal fisheries and aquaculture leaders from ...

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