Co-Management, Two-Eyed Seeing and Treaties: Advancing Atlantic Salmon Governance in Nova Scotia, Canada

“Conservation” is an important concept to both Canadian Aboriginal fisheries and state management of fisheries as it is a valid legislative objective for infringing on existing Aboriginal and Treaty Rights in Canada. For the Mi’kmaq, the indigenous people of eastern Canada and north eastern United States, the use of conservation as a means for justifying infringement of Aboriginal and Treaty Rights is a respected and shared philosophy. However, issues of governance - the power of the state to evaluate stock status, share the resource, and implement conservation and management measures - is a source of debate and tension between the Mi’kmaq of Nova Scotia and federal department of Fisheries and Oceans in matters concerning Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar. Within the context of the existing governance regime that determines the underlying principles governing decision-making, this research aims to compare the concept of salmon conservation and management measures from a Mi’kmaq perspective and offer recommendations on how to further governance initiatives for this species.