Rebuilding Haida Gwaii's Community-based Fishing Economy

Xaada Gwaay, Xaaydaga Gwaay.yaay or Haida Gwaii (“islands of the people”) is surrounded by the richest fishing waters in British Columbia, with an estimated annual average commercial value of $83.4 million or 22 percent of... [ view full abstract ]

Xaada Gwaay, Xaaydaga Gwaay.yaay or Haida Gwaii (“islands of the people”) is surrounded by the richest fishing waters in British Columbia, with an estimated annual average commercial value of $83.4 million or 22 percent of the provincial landed value. Commercial fisheries on these waters have been an integral part of Haida Gwaii’s history to the present day. Since the 1970s, however, there have been marked declines in local participation in commercial fisheries due in part to limited entry licensing, fleet buyback programs, area licensing and fisheries management and allocation policies. With the exception of the Razor Clam fishery and the Pacific Herring spawn-on-kelp fishery, there are currently no other fisheries that have high community participation on Haida Gwaii and only a small percentage of the catch is currently processed on Haida Gwaii.

Reduced community participation in commercial fishers has resulted in economic, social and cultural consequences for Haida and other Haida Gwaii residents. Not only have direct local benefits from commercial fishing catches diminished, but seafood processors, marine-related merchants and service providers have all experienced reduced revenue and employment opportunities in Haida Gwaii communities. In addition, concerns have been expressed by Haida and other Haida Gwaii residents regarding impacts to lifestyle and cultural identity, local food security, and intergenerational knowledge transfer.

As a response to these trends and associated consequences, the Council of the Haida Nation (CHN) and the Province of British Columbia (BC) are working together through the Marine Plan Partnership (MaPP) to implement a series of initiatives to support the re-building of a community-based fishery on Haida Gwaii. This presentation will focus on issues, objectives and strategies identified in the MaPP Haida Gwaii Marine Plan related to Haida Gwaii’s community-based fisheries economy, with a particular focus on a feasibility assessment that is currently in development by the partners.