Fishermen’s Knowledge Mapping:
Traditional Knowledge Mapping was completed in the Mid-1990s and funding is now available to interview fishermen once again on updating the fishing maps. These maps contain information solely from fishermen!
The group conducting the interviews (Coalition for Sustainability) will be on PEI for the following dates, please feel free to stop by any location for a look at the old maps and/or to give some feedback on the changes that have occurred since that time.
February 10th, 2009 : Borden Legion
February 11th, 2009: Wellington Access PEI Board Room
February 12th, 2009: Charlottetown Farm Center, Upstairs Boardroom
February 16th, 2009: O’leary Access PEI Board Room
Fisheries & Oceans Canada
Traditional Fisheries Mapping update project
January – April 2009
Background: From 1996-1990, DFO had commissioned their first-ever Traditional Fisheries Knowledge (TFK) mapping exercise for the Gulf Region. Approximately, 1,000 local fishermen participated in the exercise to share their knowledge on fishing catches, trips, spawning grounds, important habitat, etc. This project lasted three years (1996-1999) and presently all recorded data resides with DFO. Maps produced from the data collected were provided to Fishing Associations and also appear on the DFO website. The objective was to conserve fish habitat.
Purpose: The purpose of this 2009 project is simply to update the earlier TFK maps of a decade ago by again interviewing local fishermen and having them compare and comment on the earlier digital or hard-copy maps regarding any changes that may have occurred over time. The process of engaging fishermen with the project and sharing their knowledge falls within the larger and long-term vision of DFO with respect to risk assessment, Integrated Management and will also be useful to conserve fish habitat. Due to time constraints, this particular mapping update project will focus on the Northumberland Strait region. Future mapping update projects for the regions outside the Strait are possible should funding become available in the next fiscal year.
Benefits: Mapping the traditional knowledge of local fishermen provides the following benefits:
· Better understanding of important spawning/rearing/migration/feeding grounds
· Identifies coastal resources
· Serves as a tool to identify, protect and conserve fish habitat for that life stage of a
particular species
· Assists fishermen and resource managers to collaborate and develop management
strategies and options.
· To enable communities to incorporate the fish resources in their area in their
development plans
· As an educational tool for other economic sectors not directly involved in fisheries
Timeline: The TFK mapping update project is from January to March, 2009. All interviews with fishermen are to be completed by March 31st, 2009. As interviews are completed, data will be analyzed, digitized and put into draft maps for later compilation. Completion of maps and tabulation of data can occur into April, 2009.
Dissemination of Information: In order to benefit the fishing sector the manner in which the project results are disseminated back to the fishing associations and fishermen is crucial to the success of this project. In addition to the DFO website, these TFK updated maps will also be made available on the Coalition-SGSL’s on-line regional sustainability atlas. Hard copy maps will also be provided to the fishing associations. The results and how to obtain these maps will be communicated as follows:
· During upcoming meetings as organized by DFO, fishing associations, etc
· Via the newsletters and communiqués of the fishing associations involved and via the Coalition-SGSL’s newsletter – the Messenger
