Securing sustainable northern fisheries

This project builds upon an existing partnership among Ocean Wise, Arctic communities and Nunavut-based fisheries organizations to future-proof Arctic small-scale fisheries by ensuring their locally harvested products are widely available across Canada, while keeping Northern businesses resilient and culturally relevant.

Several Nunavut communities have, or are developing, small-scale commercial fisheries to create local economic opportunities that are socially, culturally and environmentally sustainable. These businesses need a competitive edge to succeed. Gaining this edge is a challenge for many small Indigenous fisheries that lack access to Canada’s growing market for sustainably farmed and harvested seafood products. Northern small-scale fisheries are often environmentally sustainable but lack the resources to collect the scientific data required by major seafood sustainability ratings programs to endorse their catch.

Two young individuals in a boat holding up a plankton net.

Future Skills Centre is investing $971,464 in this 2-year project. This partnership will build a Northern network of fishing communities and fisheries organizations that will co-develop and test an assessment framework that relies equally on local Indigenous knowledge and scientific data to determine Arctic Indigenous fishery sustainability. This valuable tool will allow major seafood ratings programs to assess Arctic community fisheries and recognize their products as sustainable. This will allow greater Southern market access and higher market value for their products while ensuring Northern community fisheries can continue to grow and operate in ways consistent with Inuit values, culture and practices.

Evaluation Strategy

This project is evaluated using tools and approaches aligned with its goals, context, and stage of development. The evaluation focuses on generating the right evidence at the right moment to move the intervention forward. Read more about our evaluation strategy.

Featured Projects

A group of people brainstorming and huddled over a laptop screen.
Research

Technological Change and the Future of Work in Canada

This project will assess the impact that large-scale technological and demographic trends will have on the demand and supply of labour in Canada and identify potential solutions to mitigate the effects of labour shortages on the Canadian economy.
Young woman with virtual reality headset.
Project

New Brunswick digital career exploration

Youth explore in-demand career paths and connect with industry experts through virtual tours and workplace simulations.
businessman having important conversation with male employee and reviewing resume documents.
Project

Driving innovation through inclusion: ACCELERATE Leadership

This project equipped top executives and C-suite innovation leaders to champion EDI (equity, diversity and inclusion), as it is a key enabler of organizational innovation, growth and global competitiveness.
View more