Working Better Together: Fisheries and Tourism in Newfoundland and Labrador

In Newfoundland and Labrador, as elsewhere, there is a strong but poorly acknowledged and poorly documented interdependence between the fisheries and tourism sectors. This interdependence is particularly strong in rural areas, including in fishing communities, where much of Newfoundland and Labrador’s tourism happens. Tourists want to consume local seafood, experience fisheries and fishing culture, and to meet people engaged in and knowledgeable about fisheries and the marine environment; local fisheries provide much of the seafood tourists eat, some members of fishing families work in the tourism sector, and fishing families are among the clientele who patronize local restaurants and hotels. Our rural communities are experiencing high rates of outmigration and rural populations are aging. The resources available to support economic development in rural areas, including in fisheries and tourism, are declining (as exemplified by recent cuts to Parks Canada and to support for the Regional Economic Development Boards). Employment in both fisheries and tourism is highly seasonal (particularly in rural areas) and some employers are finding it difficult to find appropriately skilled, local workers. Aging labour forces mean this challenge is likely to increase in the future. Both sectors are also very vulnerable to changes in global markets and to environmental and other changes. Unfortunately, from a policy and organizational perspective, Newfoundland and Labrador’s commercial fisheries and tourism industries have developed largely in isolation from each other. There has been no systematic effort to establish and promote synergies between the two sectors. As a result, there are potentially important missed opportunities for economic development that have the potential to create new business opportunities, strengthen existing businesses in both sectors, and to enhance the sustainability of both sectors as well as some rural communities and regions. On June 15, 2012, with support from the Rural Secretariat, the Community-University Research for Recovery Alliance at Memorial University (CURRA), the Harris Centre and the Newfoundland and Labrador Regional Economic Development Association (NLREDA) organized a multi-stakeholder workshop in St. John’s entitled Working Better Together: Fisheries and Tourism in Newfoundland and Labrador (See Appendix A for full program). The workshop used research done by the CURRA and insights from a multi-stakeholder panel to set the stage for facilitated small group discussions led by Ted Lomond from NLREDA and using the staff and facilitated discussion technology and expertise of the Rural Secretariat. Excellent support with organization and with the registration process was provided by Johan Joensen of the Harris Centre

A coastal foodscape: examining the relationship between changing fisheries and community food security on the west coast of Newfoundland

Fisheries make vital contributions to food security and food security is an important part of fisheries governance. However, there are relatively few in-depth studies examining the consequences of collapsed and changing fisheries for the food security of coastal communities. In this case study I use the concept of the coastal foodscape to look at the relationship between changing fisheries and community food security in the Bonne Bay region on the west coast of Newfoundland. I examine the social-ecological interactions that compose the local food system and their changing relationship to community food security, and point to directions for developing a more resilient and democratic food system

Examining the foundation for stronger fisheries-tourism synergies and increased local seafood consumption in the Bonne Bay region of Newfoundland

The Bonne Bay area on Newfoundland’s west coast is surrounded by Gros Morne National Park. The area has six communities within it and a relatively small year‐round population of 2948 people. Both tourism and fishing are important to the local economy of the region. Approximately 187,000 tourists visited Gros Morne National Park during the 2010‐2011 tourism season (Parks Canada, 2011). Fishing is also an important industry, employing approximately 17% of the workforce in the area in 2005 (Newfoundland and Labrador Statistics Agency, 2009). This research project looked at the foundations for improved economic opportunities for fish harvesters and tourism operators, based on enhanced collaboration among the fisheries and tourism sectors, as well as on increased regional consumption of seafood including among local people. It was funded by the Mitacs‐Accelerate program, and the Rural Secretariat, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador with support from the CURRA at Memorial University

Fisheries-Tourism in Bonne Bay: A summary report prepared for the CURRA

This summary report presents the results from a Mitacs internship involving fish harvesters and tourism operators (http://www.mitacs.ca/accelerate). The internship was based in the Bonne Bay area on Newfoundland’s west coast looking at the foundations for improved economic opportunities for fish harvesters and tourism operators based on enhanced collaboration among their two sectors fisheries and tourism sectors, as well as on increased regional consumption of seafood including among local people. The full project report will be available by November 15th at www.curra.ca This internship was led by Kristen Lowitt, a PhD student in Interdisciplinary Studies at Memorial University, and funded by the Mitacs‐Accelerate program and the Rural Secretariat, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador with support from the CURRA program at Memorial University

Linking communities of practice with value chain development in smallholder farming systems

Recognizing that value chains involve complex social and economic relationships, there are shortcomings in existing approaches to governance, whereby different communities in smallholder agriculture could instead work together, leading to increased resilience. Relations of power, politics, socialization, and a collective history of slavery were identified by smallholders as factors contributing to mistrust, and provoked the desire to act independently rather than collaborating in communities of practice. “Communities of practice” literature is not included in value chain research and development; however, it is helpful in discerning the core challenges of collaboration, trust, and learning, particularly in developing area contexts

A framework for analyzing institutional gaps in natural resource governance

In this paper we present the Inter-Institutional Gap(IIG) Framework as a novel approach to conceptualizing the often-overlooked interconnectivity of different rule-levels between formal and informal institutions in a resource system. This framework goes beyond the existing concepts of legal pluralism, institutional void, structural hole, and cultural mismatch, each of which offer valuable insights to particular gaps between formal and informal institutions, but do not sufficiently address the interaction at every rule level (i.e. constitutional choice, collective choice and operational choice rules). In order to demonstrate the potential of our framework for better understanding the underlying causes of inter-institutional gaps, we apply it to four case studies that encompass diverse geographical locations, governance scales, and social-ecological systems. Results reveal inter-institutional gaps can be created when there are unintended, unforeseen or hidden gaps between different rule hierarchies in two or more simultaneously operating institutions. More specifically we observe that: i) inter-institutional gaps are co-existing, therefore if a certain gap is identified, other gaps may be expected; ii) certain gaps may reveal latent gaps; and iii) intermediaries may be key to addressing inter-institutional gaps. In many cases, sustainable natural resource management and regulation cannot be achieved without directly addressing the inter-institutional gaps that exist between formal and informal institutions operating in the same resource system. The Framework facilitates analysis and understanding of multi-level governance structures in pursuit of addressing complex natural resource management issues

Community Food Security Assessment of the Bonne Bay Region

This report presents the findings from a community food security assessment undertaken in the Bonne Bay Region from May-August 2009 as part of the CURRA. A community food security assessment is a powerful way to tell the story of what is happening with food in a community, and to mobilize efforts to improve the food system. It may be understood as, “a collaborative and participatory process that systematically examines a broad range of community food issues and assets, so as to inform actions to make the community more food secure” (Pothukuchi, 2002). In an effort to paint a picture of the community food system, I compiled a food resource inventory, undertook food costing in eight grocery stores throughout the region, and completed interviews with community members from different positions in the food system. This assessment will also form the basis of my Interdisciplinary PhD research at Memorial University.1 A community steering committee was established to guide the assessment and will continue to provide direction throughout future stages of the research.2 This report is organised into six sections. This first section introduces key concepts and frameworks and describes the assessment process. Parts II, III & IV present the findings from the food resource inventory, key informant interviews, and food costing. Part V integrates these findings to identify key strengths and weaknesses of the community food system. Lastly, Part VI presents innovative examples of community-based fisheries and food security projects from other communities in Newfoundland, the U.S. and Europe