Reconciliation with First Nations

Problem: First Nations and commercial fish harvesters need to work together to benefit ALL commercial fisheries.

Solutions:

• Need to develop an agreed upon a common Coastal Fisheries Strategy with First Nations/Communities/Owner-operators/NNFC/Native Brotherhood/other organizations

• Help FNs develop individual operator fisheries for their Economic (PICFI) fisheries

• Round tables

• Meet separately from large planning groups

• Round tables need to be everywhere

• Start with Bella Coola on Central Coast

• In season, allocations can be transferred

• Positive way to get fishermen fishing – use small bite fisheries as assessment fisheries to permit earlier openings

• Need facilitators

• Fishermen and First Nations get together to figure out allocations.

• Consultants are representing FNs.

• Fishermen should talk directly with First Nations to ensure lines of communication are open

• Indigenous fishers in FN economic fisheries – inland and marine –

• Opportunities for dialogue

• Help with training in commercial fishing techniques (if skills have faded)

• Allocations to FN are not necessarily going to indigenous fishers so we need to raise this issue with government and FN communities

• PICFI allocations can be used to attract young fishermen and or to improve finances of existing indigenous fishermen through increased catches

• Commercial fishers can use PICFI as an example of Community-based allocations that can be leased out at nominal costs.