Subsistence Fishing in Canada: A Note on Terminology

Several terms (subsistence, domestic, harvest and food fishing) are used often synonymously in Canada to refer to fishing carried out to satisfy local food needs. To resolve the confusion and to provide consistency, it is desirable to consolidate the terminology. "Subsistence" connotes the appropriate meaning in both anthropology and economics, and is therefore favored here. It has the added advantage of being the term used in Alaska.Key words: subsistence, domestic fisheries, food fisheries, harvesting, native people, Canadian NorthMots clés: subsistance, pêcheries domestiques, pêcheries pour la nourriture, exploitation, peuple indigène, Nord canadie

Native Subsistence Fisheries: A Synthesis of Harvest Studies in Canada

Subsistence fisheries, as distinct from commercial and recreational, exist throughout much of the Canadian North and satisfy local needs for fish protein. These fisheries have been investigated quantitatively only since the 1970s. Many of these studies are in the "grey literature"; methods of study and reporting are not standardized, and interpretation of data is often problematic. Nevertheless, some generalizations can be offered from a preliminary survey of harvest study data from 93 communities and from 10 regional studies representing Labrador, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, British Columbia and the Northwest Territories. The data indicate a wide range of harvest values, clustering at about 60 kg of whole fish per capita per year. If these data are representative, there is a significant subsistence fishery sector important for the local economies of hundreds of communities. Most of these fisheries are not being reported in fishery statistics, nor are they being monitored and assessed.

An Investigation of Cree Indian Domestic Fisheries in Northern Québec

Domestic or subsistence fisheries of the eastern James Bay Cree were studied, mainly in Fort George, by direct observation. These fisheries were characterized by large numbers of participants, low catches per day and per fisherman, but high catches per length of net used, as compared to commercial fisheries. Most stocks appear lightly utilized, but in the vicinity of larger settlements there is evidence that some stocks are overfished. The total catch may be increased by distributing the fishing effort more evenly over a larger area. Fish resource base of the region appears suitable for supporting local economic development with respect to recreational fisheries and native-run commercial fisheries for the local market, as well as maintaining the domestic fishery

Preliminary Impacts of the James Bay Hydroelectric Project, Quebec, on Estuarine Fish and Fisheries

Flow alterations related to hydroelectric development have affected both the fish stocks and the Cree Indian subsistence fishery in the lower LaGrande River, northern Quebec. Evaluated against several years of baseline data, the initial biological impact of the project on fish populations, mostly whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis) and cisco (C. artedii) appeared to be relatively small. Nevertheless, fishing activity in the lower river and the estuary largely ceased from 1979 to 1981, due to physical modifications of traditional fishing areas and other social and economic effects related to the hydro project. Some fishermen modified their methods and continued harvesting in the affected area, but others abandoned the affected area and fished lakes and rivers along the recently constructed road network. It is concluded that earlier impact assessments fell short of predicting these impacts.Key words: environmental impact, social impact, hydroelectric projects, northern development, James Bay, northern Quebec, subsistence fisheries, native harvesting, Coregonus clupeaformis, Coregonus artediiMots clés: impact environnemental, impact social, projets hydroélectriques, développement du nord, Baie James, nord québécois, pêcheries de subsistence, récolte autochtone, Coregonus clupeaformis, Coregonus artedi

Co-management institutions, knowledge, and learning: Adapting to change in the Arctic

How vulnerable are Arctic Indigenous peoples to climate change? What are their relevant adaptations, and what are the prospects for increasing their ability to deal with further change? The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change makes little mention of Indigenous peoples, and then only as victims of changes beyond their control. This view of Indigenous peoples as passive and helpless needs to be challenged. Indigenous peoples, including the Canadian Inuit, are keen observers of environmental change and have lessons to offer about how to adapt, a view consistent with the Inuit self-image of being creative and adaptable. There are three sources of adaptations to impacts of climate change: 1) Indigenous cultural adaptations to the variability of the Arctic environment, discussed here in the context of the communities of Sachs Harbour and Arctic Bay; 2) short-term adjustments (coping strategies) that are beginning to appear in recent years in response to climate change; and 3) new adaptive responses that may become available through new institutional processes such as co-management. Institutions are related to knowledge development and social learning that can help increase adaptive capacity and reduce vulnerability. Two co-management institutions that have the potential to build Inuit adaptive capacity are the Fisheries Joint Management Committee (established under the Inuvialuit Final Agreement), and the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board.Jusqu’à quel point les peuples autochtones de l’Arctique sont-ils vulnérables au changement climatique? Comment s’y adaptent-ils et quelles sont leurs aptitudes potentielles à affronter les changements encore à venir? Le Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change ne mentionne qu’à peine les peuples autochtones, et seulement sous l’aspect de victimes impuissantes de changements qui échappent à leur contrôle. Cette conception des peuples autochtones comme passifs et désarmés doit être sérieusement revue. Les peuples autochtones, y compris les Inuit du Canada, sont des observateurs avisés du changement environnemental et peuvent donner des leçons sur les possibilités de s’y adapter, idée qui s’accorde par ailleurs à l’image de créativité et d’adaptabilité que les Inuit ont d’eux-mêmes. Il existe trois fondements à ces adaptations aux impacts du changement climatique: 1) les adaptations culturelles autochtones à la variabilité de l’environnement arctique, dont nous discutons ici dans le cadre des communautés de Sachs Harbour et d’Arctic Bay; 2) des ajustements à court terme (stratégies au cas par cas) qui ont fait leur apparition au cours des dernières années en réponse au changement climatique; et 3) de nouvelles réponses adaptatives apparues dans la foulée de nouveaux processus institutionnels tels que la co-gestion. Certaines institutions en lien avec le développement de la connaissance et l’apprentissage social peuvent contribuer à accroître le potentiel d’adaptation et à réduire la vulnérabilité. Deux institutions de co-gestion qui ont le potentiel d’accroître la capacité adaptative des Inuit sont le Comité mixte de gestion des pêches (établit par le Inuvialuit Final Agreement) et le Conseil de gestion des ressources fauniques du Nunavut

Cree Fish Names from Eastern James Bay, Quebec

This paper provides a synthesis of Cree fish names as used in the eastern James Bay area communities of Mistassini, Waswanipi, Nemaska, Rupert House, Eastmain, Wemindji (Paint Hills or Nouveau Comptoir), Fort George and Great Whale (Poste-de-la-Baleine). ... A systematic study is important in part because some fish species of the area have elevated levels of mercury .... It is therefore important to identify the species correctly, and to check whether Cree fish names actually refer to species as recognized by western science

Can partnerships and community-based conservation reverse the decline of coral reef social-ecological systems?

The marine aquarium trade has played an important role in shaping the ecological state of coral reefs in Indonesia and much of the Asia-Pacific. The use of cyanide by ornamental fishers in Buleleng District, Bali, in the 1980s and 1990s has resulted in a precipitous decline in the ecological health of reefs. Cyanide-free harvesting techniques were introduced after 2000, along with reef restoration measures. This paper examines social and ecological processes in the fishing village of Les, Bali, in ending the use of cyanide and the resulting ecological restoration. An emphasis on conservation-development (with livelihood objectives) was important in securing interest and cooperation across stakeholder groups. Adaptive approaches to governance and knowledge co-production were also important. The strategy used at Les is now being exported to other communities across Indonesia, and provides a promising example of a marine resources-based conservation-development initiative that may be implemented at other, similar communities

A History of Change and Reorganization: The Pelagic Longline Fishery in Gouyave, Grenada

This paper traces the history of the pelagic surface longline fishery in Gouyave, Grenada, noting 4 major periods of change from pre-1985 to 2004. Reconstructed from document reviews, newspaper articles, oral history, and key informant interviews 1) the pre-1985 period was the time when the longline was introduced and popularized by the Cubans, 2) the period of institutionalization and technology development (1986-1990) corresponded to the strengthening of institutional arrangements and the initial improvements in technology, 3) the Coastal Fisheries Development Project (CFDP) of 1991-1999 was the period of international donor support and further technology change in longline construction, and finally 4) the 2000-2004 period marked innovation, training and fish quality control for export markets. The main point of the paper is that fisheries management is about the management of change. Fishery managers need to learn to deal, not only with technology change, but also with surprise and variability related to biophysical change (e.g., hurricanes), change in markets, and other external drivers such as international policies. Key considerations for managers to deal successfully with change include: learning from experience, capacity building, and the need to engage cooperatively with fishers and communities, the private sector, and non-governmental organizations