It’s a scene that plays out every day in every coastal community across CNF shareholder Nations—young kids casting off the dock, hoping to catch the “big one” and watching the boats come in to harbour after a long day on the water.
For Klemtu-based fisherman Basil Robinson, that’s been daily life for as long as he remembers—at least until he grew up and purchased his own boat. Now, Basil is one of those experienced fishers hauling out a full day’s catch at the dock. “I started fishing when I was a kid and haven't stopped since,” says Basil, who has lived in Kitasoo Xai’xais Territory his whole life. “Fishing helps the community in so many ways; not just supporting fishing families but other community members as well.”
Basil is the first in his community to start working in a Community Based Fishery (CBF)—a new opportunity available for established or aspiring fishers from CNF shareholder Nations. A key outcome of the Fisheries Resources Reconciliation Agreement, these fisheries are helping to rebuild multi-species, small-boat fishing fleets in shareholder Nations, giving community members a chance to make a good living fishing in their own territories.
In addition to CBFs, there are many new economic opportunities for fishers in shareholder Nations, including the Coastal Nations Commercial Fishing (CNCF) company. In fact, as of July 2024, about 90 percent of fishers working with CNCF were from shareholder Nations, and more than 94 percent were First Nations’ fishers.
Basil heard about the CBF opportunity through Ken Cripps, a commercial fisherman working with the Kitasoo Xai’xais Stewardship Authority and Board member for Coastal Nations Fisheries. “We knew he loved to fish and is always out there anyway,” says Ken. “I don't think there's anyone that's a more prolific food fisherman in terms of the number of days per year spent on the water.”
Ken says it's been great to see Basil go full circle from dockside food fisherman to commercial prawner and halibut fishermen, while still finding the time for food fishing as well. “Some folks target herring or spawn-on-kelp, but they’re not be able to manage prawning, crabbing and halibut on top of that,” he says. “It’s pretty unique and requires a huge amount of experience.”
Basil was fishing about nine prawn traps before the CBF and he’s now up to about 300 traps—a significant scale-up and challenge to keep up. But the main challenge, he says, was trying to manage the extra work while still having enough time for family. Basil and his wife Tanya, who helps to manage the business, have been together for almost 20 years, and have six children between the ages of 7 and 15.
Tanya said there were many times that Basil thought he might have to give up fishing, but he was determined to make it work, mainly for the sake of his kids. “He's such a hard worker,” she says. “Like, you tell Basil to go out and get 500 sockeye, he's going to come in with 1,000.” That work ethic has been the difference maker for Basil and his new business. “I think it's a journey that’s just beginning,” adds Tanya. “It took a leap of faith, but this has kickstarted our future together and is a real source of stability for our children. It's seriously amazing.”
Developing a business plan was the first step for the CBF application process, but Basil and Tanya learned quickly that it’s also important to get the relevant training and certifications done right away, since programs fill up quickly across the coast. “The financing side of the process was quite a bit of work, just pulling all the information together into the application,” says Tanya. “There is a lot of administrative stuff.”
Basil and Tanya are always looking for new ways to enhance the business, such as tapping into new technologies and electronic fish finders to support his fishing. This year Basil is working as a packer for the Kitasoo Xai’xais sea cucumber fishery. They’re also looking into other revenue sources and related opportunities as well, such as using their vessel as a charter for researchers or tourists hoping to get out on coastal waters.
Just like many other coastal residents, Basil and Tanya admit they have often worried there was no longer a future in fishing, but CBFs are beginning to change that perception. “We had days where it was frustrating,” says Tanya. “We had days where we felt that we weren't going to get the boat. But we never gave up. Now we're here.”
There are so many obvious benefits of CBFs for CNF shareholder Nations—from increased support for training and business planning, to affordable lease fees and accessible financing for new vessels and gear. One of the most important benefits of rebuilding these fisheries is that it’s giving new hope to youth that fishing is still a viable livelihood in their communities. By supporting local families and putting food on the table, CBFs give residents a reason to stay close to home, which leads to many other long-term economic and cultural benefits as well.
Asked what advice they’d give to others who are considering CBFs, Tanya is quick to respond: “Just keep going and don't get discouraged. You'll have days where you're overwhelmed. But the good thing about this is our kids know that what we're doing is something their dad loves.”
Comentarios