Fishing Boat parked in the ocean during a vibrant sunny summer day. Taken in Port Hardy, Northern Vancouver Island, BC, Canada.
Adobe Stock
The Government of Canada, represented by Joanne Thompson, Minister of Fisheries, and Rebecca Alty, Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations, has joined the A-Tlegay Member Nations to sign a 20-year Reconciliation Agreement for Fisheries Resources (RAFR).
The A-Tlegay Member Nations include the northern Strait of Georgia, the Johnstone Strait, and the central northeast coast of Vancouver Island, where activities such as commercial, recreational, and First Nations fisheries, commercial aquaculture, marine shipping, recreational boating, and commercial whale-watching take place.
This agreement will help diversify these activities and support the economic development of the entire region. In addition, these Nations will be able to acquire commercial fishing licences and quotas through an open-market process. Finally, through the RAFR, a collaborative governance structure will be established with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
"This agreement reflects meaningful progress in our work with the A-Tlegay Member Nations. I want to congratulate all Member Nations on reaching this important milestone. This historic agreement not only supports advancing Canada's relationship with the Nations but also creates new opportunities in fisheries grounded in collaboration, partnership, and mutual respect," assured Thompson.
Moreover, Crown-Indigenous Relations Minister Rebecca Alty said: "This historic agreement not only helps advance Canada's relationship with the Nations, but also creates new opportunities in the fisheries sector based on collaboration, partnership, and mutual respect."