Government Of Canada Launches Indigenous Fisheries Monitoring Fund

The federal government has announced the launch of the $5-million Indigenous Fisheries Monitoring Fund.

“Indigenous harvesters have always made an important contribution to fishery monitoring and stewardship in Canada.”, said the Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard.

“This funding will support Indigenous groups as they continue the important work of fishery monitoring, which is essential to effective fish stock management in Canada.”

The funding supports Indigenous groups as they increase fisheries monitoring and catch reporting activities, which is crucial for maintaining sustainable fisheries.

Monitoring provides accurate information on fishing activities, such as how many fish are caught from each stock.

In a release, Fisheries and Oceans Canada says it recognizes that fisheries, oceans, aquatic habitat and marine waterways are of great social, cultural, spiritual and economic importance to many Indigenous peoples.

Working with Indigenous peoples as they increase their capacity to monitor fisheries, the DFO says, is key to providing dependable, timely, and accessible information for sustainable fisheries management.

Eligible Indigenous groups can now submit their written proposal to DFO. Information on eligibility, how to apply and an application form can be found at DFO’s Indigenous Fisheries Monitoring Fund.

The fund is open to applications until December 31, 2028.

The money will promote the sharing of best practices and fishery monitoring data, to better inform decision-making for sustainable fisheries and demonstrate collaborative management of federally regulated fish stocks and populations across Canada.

The Fishery Monitoring Policy sets the direction of how all federally managed wild capture fisheries and marine mammal harvests are monitored in order to provide dependable, timely, and accessible information crucial to sustainable fisheries management.

To learn more, visit Government Of Canada.