Cooperative Fisheries Management in Canada's Western Arctic

Abstract

"The Fisheries Joint Management Committee (FJMC) was established in 1986 as a result of the settlement of the Inuvialuit land claim in the Western Canadian Arctic. The FJMC consists of two Inuvialuit representatives, two government appointees and a committee-elected chairperson. The Committee has five main areas of responsibility: to exchange information and formulate advice to the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans on activities and policies that affect regional fisheries; to recommend subsistence quotas and regulatory amendments to the Minister; to collect harvest information; to allocate subsistence quotas among communities; and to maintain a public registration system and, if necessary, to regulate public access for fishing in the region. In discharging these responsibilities, the FJMC funds research and assessment projects, holds community meetings and works closely with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. The evolution and success of cooperative fishery management through the FJMC are discussed."