Miawpukek First Nation – Conne River, NL – Three Indigenous Leaders representing all First Nation communities in Newfoundland Labrador have signed an historic agreement to unite and pursue a new fisheries opportunity in adjacent waters off the south coast of the Province. This new partnership between the Miawpukek First Nation, the Innu Nation and the Qalipu First Nation was a direct response to the recent reconciliation-based announcement by Canada’s Minister of Fisheries and Oceans.

The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc announced that he would expand access to the Arctic Surf Clam fishery by introducing a fourth Arctic Surf Clam License in 2018.

The Minister also stated that proponents must be from Canada’s Indigenous community and must be able to demonstrate how they themselves would fully participate in the fishery. To meet that requirement, the First Nations of Newfoundland and Labrador (FN-NL) will submit a comprehensive proposal that will include full participation in harvesting, marketing, processing and management of the clam resource off the adjacent shores of Newfoundland Labrador, adding a truly new and independent participant to the offshore clam fishery.
All three of Newfoundland Labrador’s First Nations will form and own a single Indigenous entity that will submit the clam licence proposal. If the proposal is successful, the clam license will yield significant economic and employment benefits to First Nation commun ...