Historic Fishing Deal for First Nations Communities

After recent and sometimes violent exchanges between settler and indigenous fisheries in Canada over lobster fishing, an historic deal has been signed.

In September 2020 the Sipekne’katik First Nation started their own independent fishery to uphold their rights to a ‘moderate livelihood’, as vaguely set out in a treaty from 1752.

This was met with a suspected arson attack and the dumping of over 1300kg of indigenous caught lobster by non-indigenous fishers.

Concerns by the settler communities stemmed from First nation rights to fish sustainably year round, rather than just seasonally, which they claim to have been doing for 13,000 years.

Seasonal fishing applies to commercial fishing operations, which, in the case of lobsters equates to 400,000 lobster traps annually. This is compared to the 200-300 traps used by indigenous fisheries.

However, by grouping together, First Nation communities in Canada have bought the commercial fishing company ‘Clearwater Seafood’ for the sum of £580m.

While the definition of what a ‘moderate livelihood’ for First Nation fisheries is some way away - Canada’s indigenous communities have taken a step toward being recognised as commercial equals.