Anishinabek/Ontario Fisheries Resource Centre

Aboriginal Traditional Knowledge (ATK) Workshop Held in Toronto

Anishinabek Elder Garry Sault from the Mississaugas of New Credit First Nation shares his wisdom with a breakout group session during the Species At Risk Act (SARA) ATK conference held in Toronto recently

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) hosted a national workshop on Aboriginal traditional knowledge in Species at Risk Act (SARA) implementation October 28-30 in Toronto, Ontario. A/OFRC Community Liaison Specialist Perry McLeod-Shabogesic attended the 3-day event that is designed to discuss issues related to ATK and how it can be implemented into work being done on identifying species at risk by DFO through COSEWIC.

SARA recognizes that the role of Aboriginal peoples in the conservation of wildlife is essential and that the traditional knowledge of Aboriginal people should be considered in the assessment of which species may be at risk and in developing and implementing recovery measures. With this in mind, it is hoped that this workshop will assist in enhancing Aboriginal traditional knowledge in SARA implementation.

A breakout group meets to discuss the implementation of ATK in SARA at the conference

First Nation Water Policy Forum

A/OFRC Board Member Brian Monague from Kettle & Stony Point First Nation shares a moment with Chiefs of Ontario Regional Grand Chief Angus Toulouse of Sagamok Anishnawbek at the recent water conference that brought chiefs from all over Ontario to the forum.

Perry McLeod-Shabogesic, Community Liaison Specialist for the A/OFRC attended the First Nation Water Policy Forum held in Garden River First Nation recently. The session was held to share information on water initiatives in Ontario so that First Nations and governments can work more cooperatively in developing a path forward for engagement. Discussions and presentations included Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), Aquaculture, Canada-Ontario Agreement Respecting the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem, Protocols & Consultation, UOI/MNR Resource Management Council and the United Nations Declaration on Indigenous Rights just to name a few.

Serpent River Habitat Workshop Informs Community

Kimberly Tremblay uses a powerpoint presentation to share her knowledge of fisheries management with workshop participants

A/OFRC Fisheries biologist Kim Tremblay was the guest speaker at the Serpent River First Nation Habitat Workshop Dinner October 15th, 2008. The workshop was held at the Serpent River First Nation Community Centre that included both in-class and hands-on field experience in local streams. The information shared and learned is vital for the further development of fisheries management for the First Nation. Maureen Peltier, A/OFRC Fisheries Biologist headed up and coordinated the event with other staff Caroline Deary Senior Fisheries Biologist, Sarah A. Couchie Fisheries Biologist Intern and Perry McLeod-Shabogesic Community Liaison Specialist assisting.

A/OFRC 2008 Annual Report Now Available Online

The A/OFRC 2008 Annual Report has arrived from our printers and is being mailed out to all 42 Anishinabek Nation Communities (via Chief and Council).  We have also made it available online as a PDF document for download. 

Download 2008_annual_report.pdf

This is a new format for our Annual Report which provides a greater depth of information on our organization. 

In addition to our regular content, we have included a summary of the Centre's long-term goals, a look at our organizational structure and management and the partnerships we have developed over the past year.

If you have any questions regarding the content of this report or our program, please contact Ed Desson, A/OFRC General Manager.

New Application Form for A/OFRC Administered Projects

First Nations who are applying for fisheries projects for the 2009/2010 field season (April 1, 2009 - March 31, 2010) and who do not have the capacity (see How to Submit a Fisheries Project Proposal for more information) to undertake their proposed field program without A/OFRC assistance now have a new project application form. 

A/OFRC staff are available to assist community representatives in the completion of this form.

The Deadline for 2009/2010 field project applications is October 31, 2008.

The new A/OFRC Administered Project Application form can be downloaded here.

Download aofrc_administered_project_application_2008.pdf

Sagamok Anishnawbek Fall Harvest Gathering

Elders Russel Abitong Sr. (in grey) and Joseph Owl (in red) from Sagamok Anishnawbek discuss treaty issues and swap hunting stories during the community session.

The community of Sagamok Anishnawbek come together frequently to look at many issues. Recently the community (including Elders and youth) gathered to discuss the Robinson Huron 1850 Treaty, Annuity Claim, Hunting/Fishing and Gathering Ethics, Hunting & Fishing practices and rights, Traditional Ecological Knowledge, the current Fishing Agreement and Inter-Treaty Harvesting.

A/OFRC Community Liaison Specialist Perry McLeod-Shabogesic was invited by Chief Paul Eshkakogan and Fisheries Coordinator Bruce Mcgregor to participate in this vital community event.

The 3-day gathering ended with a community hunt and fishing camp over the weekend. A moose was harvested using the proper practices and ethics. Trap nets were also set for a feed of fish enjoyed by the camp participants.

Upcoming Workshop - Fisheries Habitat Workshop, Serpent River First Nation

The A/OFRC will be offering a Fisheries Habitat Workshop in the North Shore, Lake Huron area October 15, 16, 17, 2008.

We encourage you to consider attending.

Workshop objectives include:

1. To better understand and identify warm and coldwater lakes and streams.
2. Learn about fish species abundance.
3. Learn to visually identify impacts upon fish habitat.

As well, an A/OFRC presentation the evening of Wednesday, October 15th will be open to the public as well as workshop participants.  Results from Serpent River First Nation's 2007 Aird Bay Habitat Mapping project and the 2000-2004 Lake Huron Joint Communities Whitefish project will be presented.

The workshop will be held at the Serpent River First Nation Community Centre.  The workshop includes both in-class and hands-on field experience. A/OFRC staff will deliver course content and supply all necessary equipment. This workshop includes all course materials and equipment as well as coffee and lunches.

Not only will individual participants of this workshop benefit from this experience, but First Nation community representatives can use this workshop to further develop their fisheries expertise and to gain a better understanding of how to protect sensitive fish habitats necessary for long term health of fish populations.

This workshop can accomodate 20 individuals.

The workshop poster, invitation notice and draft agenda are available in PDF format here:

Poster  Download workshop_poster.pdf

Invitation Notice Download invite_notice.pdf

Draft Agenda Download fisheries_habitat_workshop_agenda.pdf

This workshop is being offered as part of our objectives under funding received from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans under the Aboriginal Inland Habitat Program (AIHP).

New Application form for First Nation Administered Projects

For the past several years, the A/OFRC has approved two types of administered projects.  The majority of our field program involves First Nations whose projects are administered by the A/OFRC.  This means that the A/OFRC provides an experienced project leader, pays for field expenses, supplies boats and equipment and processes the payroll for any crew members that were hired out of that community.

However, since the A/OFRC's inception in 1995, several communities have developed the capacity to administer their own projects.  The A/OFRC is proud to have played a role in building the technical capacity of these communities.

These First Nations may now have a permenant fisheries unit, they may have experienced technicians on staff or they may have community members who have worked with the A/OFRC for many years and can hire these individuals to conduct the type of program the community has proposed.  For these First Nations our involvement in their projects takes the form of financial support, technical advice, field auditing and the analysis, writing and distribution of technical reports.

As part of a larger re-organization of our processes and internal systems, we have developed a "First Nation Administered Project Application Form".

If your community has the capacity to undertake the program you proposed in your "Letter of Intent", the next step is to download and complete this version of our new application form. 

Download project_application_2008.pdf

The deadline for Project Applications is Friday, October 31, 2008.

A/OFRC staff are available to answer your questions and guide your representative through this new form.

Dokis Round Table on Local Species at Risk

Round table participants pose for the camera during a break in a "Species At Risk" session in Dokis First Nation.

Dokis First Nation hosted a recent round table discussion on "Species At Risk" that looked at local harvesting practices in the Lower French River and inland lakes that concern the community. Talks surrounding ways to promote more sustainable practices topped the agenda. At the request of Dokis First Nation, Perry McLeod-Shabogesic, Community Liaison Specialist for the A/OFRC, attended the meeting to present work his organization has done in this area and offer any expertise the A/OFRC may have to share.