Message from the Board Chair: K’unya Laurie Bevan

In her introductory message for the 2024 CNF Annual Report, Board Chair K’unya Laurie Bevan highlights the many ways that CNF is supporting the people who will forever be the heart and soul of coastal fisheries.

Over the past year, Coastal Nations Fisheries (CNF) has continued to lead the way in revitalizing community-based fishing fleets and the livelihoods they provide for families throughout the North and Central Coast and Haida Gwaii.

After years of negotiations with the federal government culminating in the historic Fisheries Resources Reconciliation Agreement (FRRA), our shareholder Nations (Gitga’at, Gitxaała, Haida, Heiltsuk, Kitasoo Xai’xais, Metlakatla, Nuxalk and Wuikinuxv) are working collaboratively to ensure marine resources will sustain coastal communities into the future, just as they have for thousands of years.

Although the fishing territories of CNF shareholder Nations stretch across the North Pacific Coast, this past year we set up shop in the heart of Vancouver, on Coast Salish territory. As implementation of the FRRA continues, our work has become more complex, with planning efforts delving deeper into acquisitions and licenses, community-based fisheries, vessel and gear, corporate structure, and governance matters.

Growing organizations will always face a myriad hurdles along the way and CNF has, of course, not been immune. Last year, CNF encountered board turnover, corporate and management challenges, and a change in leadership at the executive level. As we have proven generation after generation, we are resilient Nations; these challenges were not about to slow us down. In fact, through all the changes, CNF is stronger than ever before.

To be more effective and efficient, the CNF Board of Directors created new committees and planning structures that will help us navigate through future challenges, and after an exhaustive executive search, we have hired a proven and highly capable Chief Executive Officer to help guide our organization.

After regrouping and revisiting our guiding vision and priorities, our internal relationships are thriving, including with our stakeholders and the CNF Trust. We are also being recognized by many like-minded organizations, who we are engaging to explore vital avenues for economic reconciliation, economic empowerment, cultural revitalization, and sustainable development for Indigenous communities. In fact, in November 2024, CNF was honoured to receive a Business Distinction Award from the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade, which recognized our company in the Outstanding New Venture category.

In the year ahead, we look forward to building on these successes through implementing our 5-year strategic plan, and continuing to enhance our communication with our leadership, shareholder Nations’ communities, and the Trust. We will also be working with CNF staff and contractors to finalize the Vessel and Gear Fund, assisting the growth of the Coastal Nations Commercial Fishing company, and doing whatever it takes to get our shareholder Nations’ fishers out on the water to provide stable jobs in our home communities.

As always, we remain committed to supporting the people and communities that will forever be the heart and soul of coastal fisheries.

Hawaa,

K’unya Laurie Bevan, Haida

Board Chair, Coastal Nations Fisheries