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COASTAL NATIONS COMMERCIAL FISHING 

A Way of Life

Coastal Nations Commercial Fishing (CNCF) is a commercial subsidiary of Coastal Nations Fisheries, which is 100% owned and operated by eight coastal First Nations: Gitga’at, Gitxaała, Haida, Heiltsuk, Kitasoo Xai’xais, Metlakatla, Nuxalk and Wuikinuxv.

INVESTING IN COASTAL COMMUNITIES

Mandates and Goals

CNCF operationalizes the licence and quota CNF acquired on the market for CNCF’s use. The company also manages its own fishing fleet by collaborating with independent crews to fish CNCF licences and quota on CNCF vessels. Additionally, CNCF enters into joint venture agreements with independent fishers with their own vessels and licences fishing CNCF quota.

 

The profit CNCF generates flows back through to its parent company CNF into the Trust where it becomes available to the shareholder Nations in their respective segregated accounts to be reinvested in fishing related activities. CNCF aims to ensure qualified fishers can transition from Community Based Fisheries into the coast-wide commercial fishery through a fair and transparent process.

Opportunities

Opportunities at CNCF are ideal for established and successful commercial fishers, and for those fishers who prefer to fish larger boat fisheries. Qualified fishers from the eight shareholder Nations will be given priority to fish for or lease licenses and quota from CNCF. The company commits to fishing only for species, and using methods, the eight Nations consider environmentally sustainable, and will promote the hiring and mentoring of new fishers and youth, and provide fair wages and benefits.

 

CNCF follows the regulations laid out by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, including monitoring requirements. Licence and quota lease fees will be set closer to market value for commercial fisheries lease rates, higher than Community Based Fisheries, which are different permits and licences altogether.

How CNCF Supports Fishers in CNF Shareholder Nations

  • The shareholder Nations’ fishers will be prioritized for fishing opportunities

  • More access will be available than through federal (or provincial) programs provided to Indigenous people

What's Right for You? 
Learn more about the difference between opportunities working with CNCF and in Community Based Fisheries.

Questions?

Contact Aaron Murray, CNCF General Manager, at aaron.m@cncflp.ca or 604-416-0060.

Three fishermen pulling kelp from the ocean
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