Project
Understanding barriers and identifying novel pathways for new entrants to Great Lakes commercial fisheries
In 2021, the Ontario Commercial Fisheries’ Association conducted a survey of their membership that identified a lack of new/young entrants into Great Lake commercial fisheries (GLCF). Similar concerns have been identified on the prohibitive cost of GLCF quota and aging of current harvester demographics. These findings reflect similar trends in commercial fisheries elsewhere in North America, where barriers to entry are contributing to lack of generational succession. These barriers include consolidated, non-operator quota ownership creating prohibitively expensive entry conditions and lack of eventual ownership opportunity for young fishers, as well as lack of training, licensure opportunities, etc. In response, some fleets are experimenting with innovative initiatives to assist new/young entrants, such as captain training programs or young fisherman’s initiatives. These lessons of barriers and pathways to entry are yet unexplored in the Canadian Great Lakes context, leaving GLCF vulnerable to their impacts. This is problematic to the future of these fisheries, which require the maintenance of current participation to sustain regional fisheries food systems, economic efficiency, resilience to shocks through maintaining fleet size, diversity, and geography, and fishing community benefit through participation. This research will evaluate barriers to Indigenous and non-Indigenous entrants, determine the nature and extent of Great Lakes quota consolidation, and identify potential innovative pathways that fit existing fisheries policy for Canadian Great Lakes fisheries. This work is conducted in partnership with the Saugeen Ojibway Nation.