Development of an integrated fisheries co-management framework for new and emerging commercial fisheries in the Canadian Beaufort Sea

The Canadian Beaufort Sea is one of the last places on Earth that has not experienced large-scale commercial fisheries. The aboriginal people of the western Canadian Arctic, the Inuvialuit, have become increasingly concerned about the potential effects of large-scale commercial operations on key sub...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Marine policy 2016-10, Vol.72, p.246-254
Main Authors: Ayles, Burton, Porta, Louie, Clarke, Red McV
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Assessments
Beaufort Sea
Bridging organization
Co-management
Fish
Fisheries
Fisheries management
Integrated fisheries planning
Land
Management
Marine
Marine mammals
Policies
Raw materials
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Summary:The Canadian Beaufort Sea is one of the last places on Earth that has not experienced large-scale commercial fisheries. The aboriginal people of the western Canadian Arctic, the Inuvialuit, have become increasingly concerned about the potential effects of large-scale commercial operations on key subsistence species of fish and marine mammals and the marine ecosystem upon which they depend. A 1984 comprehensive land settlement agreement (treaty) between Canada and the Inuvialuit established a co-management regime for limited aspects of fish and marine mammal resource management, and gave the Inuvialuit rights to subsistence fisheries and existing commercial fisheries but no preference for new commercial fisheries. The Fisheries Joint Management Committee (the fisheries co-management body), the Canada Department of Fisheries and Oceans, the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation and the Inuvialuit Game Council have developed an integrated fisheries management framework agreement for the review and assessment of any proposed commercial fisheries within the Canadian Beaufort Sea. The agreement provides clarity and transparency for decision making and strengthens the protection of fish stocks. The development of the framework depended upon a history of cooperation between the parties and a bridging initiative by the Fisheries Joint Management Committee and an NGO that brought together the Inuvialuit and the government. •A framework for fisheries co-management in the Canadian Beaufort Sea is described.•The framework builds on a comprehensive aboriginal land settlement agreement.•The co-manager and an NGO acted as a bridge to bring government and fishers together.•Agreements such as this can help expand resource protection.•The framework approach should be relevant for small developing fisheries elsewhere.
ISSN:0308-597X
1872-9460
DOI:10.1016/j.marpol.2016.04.032