Equitable Allocations in Northern Fisheries: Bridging the Divide for Labrador Inuit

Abstract

Canada has undertaken commitments to recognize the rights of Indigenous Peoples in fisheries through policies and agreements, including Integrated Fishery Management Plans, the Reconciliation Strategy, and Land Claim Agreements (LCAs). In addition to recognizing rights, these commitments were intended to respect geographic adjacency principles, to enhance the economic viability of Indigenous communities, and to be reflective of community dependence on marine resources. We examined the determinants of quota allocations in commercial fisheries involving Nunatsiavut, Northern Labrador, the first self-governing region for the Inuit peoples in Canada. It has been argued that current fishery allocations for Nunatsiavut Inuit have not satisfied federal commitments to recognize Indigenous rights. Indicators that measure equity in commercial allocations for the turbot or Greenland halibut (Reinhardtius hippoglossoides) and northern shrimp (Pandalus borealis) fisheries were identified and assessed. In these two cases, historical allocations continue to predominate for allocations based upon equity or other social or economic considerations. We illustrate equity-enhancing changes in the quota distribution under scenarios of different levels of inequality aversion, and we make qualitative assessments of the effects of these allocations to Nunatsiavut for socioeconomic welfare. This approach could benefit fisheries governance in Northern Labrador, where federal commitments to equity objectives continue to be endorsed but have not yet been integrated fully into quota allocations.

Ecological and social strategies for managing fisheries using the Resist‐Accept‐Direct (RAD) framework

“…Social strategies encompass management actions aimed at harvest, livelihoods, and cultural goals associated with fisheries. Equity issues are implicit in any reallocation of access, wealth, welfare, and resources and need to be considered when evaluating social RAD strategies (Kourantidou et al, 2021; Shultz et al, 2022). For both ecological goals and social goals, we can envision management actions that fall into either resist , accept , or direct pathways for managing fisheries in a changing climate (Table 1).…”

“…Symbols courtesy of and modified from the Integration and Application Network, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (Gamito et al, 2016;Goode et al, 2019;Harrison et al, 2013;Helminen & Sarvala, 2021;Le Bris et al, 2018;Litzow, 2006;Pershing et al, 2015Pershing et al, , 2021Raabe et al, 2020;Wenger et al, 2011) TA B L E 1 Examples of ecological and social strategies for fisheries management to implement different RAD (Resist-Accept-Direct) pathways in relation to ecosystem type. For a more detailed examination of inland recreational RAD strategies, see Rahel (2022) welfare, and resources and need to be considered when evaluating social RAD strategies (Kourantidou et al, 2021;Shultz et al, 2022). For both ecological goals and social goals, we can envision management actions that fall into either resist, accept, or direct pathways for managing fisheries in a changing climate (Table 1).…”

Inuit Food Insecurity as a Consequence of Fragmented Marine Resource Management Policies? Emerging Lessons from Nunatsiavut

“…However, reflecting on research conducted in the area over the past decades and also upon the truism that Canadian federal research priorities are largely determined primarily by the federal government itself with limited input from Nunatsiavut communities (Kourantidou et al, 2020(Kourantidou et al, , 2021, the subsistence economy and its connection to food security are largely understudied. Besides misguided research priorities often determined outside the communities, the coverage of questions and knowledge gaps of ongoing and recent research projects in many cases fails to reflect the concerns of community members directly or indirectly involved in subsistence harvesting.…”

“…Accessibility issues are increasing the risks of food insecurity (Wesche and Chan, 2010;Fergurson, 2011;Allard and Lemay, 2012;Goldhar et al, 2012;Nunavut Food Security Coalition, 2014;ITK, 2017;Kourantidou et al, 2021). Questions relating to the ability of the Labrador Inuit to access harvesting grounds have not been addressed adequately.…”

“…Commercial fishing is an important source of income, contributing to employment opportunities in the pre-and post-harvesting sectors, which are the largest seasonal employment sectors in northern Labrador (ATN, 2018;Kourantidou et al, 2021). A large proportion of fisheries operations is run by the Torngat Fish Producers Co-Operative, an Indigenous cooperative formed in the early 1970s and owned by harvesters and plant employees.…”