A. Species
Scientific name: Anguilla rostrata
Common name(s): American eel
Global IUCN Red List Threat Status: Endangered
B. Location of use
Geographic location(s):
- Nova Scotia
Country/Region: Canada/ Nova Scotia
C. Scale of assessment
Scale of assessment: Sub-national / Sub-region / Sub-State
Name/Details of location: Eskasoni First Nation, Cape Breton, NS
D. Timescale of use
Start Year: 2014
End Year: 2014
E. Information about the use
How is the wild species sourced?: Wild species sourced from its natural habitat
Type of use: Extractive
Practice of use: Targeted fishing harvesting/exploiting or collecting wild aquatic resources
Lethal or non-lethal: Lethal
Does this use involve take/extraction of: The whole entire organism
Purpose(s) of end use: Food and feed, Medicine and hygiene, Ceremony and ritual expression, Recreation and Conservation Management
Motivation of use: Basic subsistence, Income generation from trade (individual/household/community), Largescale commercial exploitation for trade, Traditional/Cultural/Spiritual and Population/Area Management
Is this use legal or illegal?: Legal under national law
F. Information about the Users
Which stakeholder(s) does the record primarily focus on?: Local people and National / local government
G. Information about the sustainability of use
Is there evidence that the use is having an impact on the target species?: Wild species sourced from its natural habitat
Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from an ecological perspective been recorded?: No, sustainability not determined
Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from an economic perspective been recorded?: Yes, considered sustainable
Details of assessment carried out: This study
Brief summary on why the use has been assessed/judged to be sustainable or unsustainable: This traditional fishing is important for the economy of indigenous people, and provided it remains ecologically sustainable it should continue to play its economic role.
Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from a social perspective been recorded?: Yes, considered sustainable
Details of assessment carried out: This study
Brief summary on why the use has been assessed/judged to be sustainable or unsustainable: Eels have not only been an important source of food and nutrition for many Mi’kmaq people but are also socially, medicinally, Economically, spiritually, and culturally important. Eels have the ability to bring a community together through fishing and feasting activities and they have been shown to be important in the strengthening of community bonds. Aboriginal communities already have adapted management practices in response to observed decline in the American eel and have indicated a willingness to limit its exploitation. These management adaptations could work to enhance sustainability of species and provide added opportunity for cross-cultural understanding between the government and aboriginal communities.
Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from a human health perspective been recorded?: Yes, considered sustainable
Details of assessment carried out: This study
Brief summary on why the use has been assessed/judged to be sustainable or unsustainable: Considered an important traditional food source and an expression of cultural identity for community wellbeing.
Has an assessment (or judgement) of sustainability of the use of the target species from an animal health/welfare perspective been recorded?: not recorded
Recommendations provided in the record to maintain or enhance the sustainability of the use of the target species
Effective management of ecosystems, natural resources, and harvesting practices is essential for ecosystem health and the sustainable use of marine resources. Within the three Aboriginal knowledge gathering components of the process, ATK SC, National Aboriginal Council on Species at Risk (NACOSAR) and Aboriginal Funding for Species at Risk (AFSAR), opportunities exist to use decolonized methods for the collection of all components of traditional knowledge (ecological, socioeconomic, cultural and spiritual) that are reflective of the values and beliefs held within the Mi’kmaq knowledge system. This sharing of knowledge through ceremonial methods (e.g., talking circles) allows for the interconnectivity inherent in indigenous ways of knowing to be conveyed without having to adhere to imposed colonial methodologies. Scholars have argued that using decolonized methods will build trust between aboriginal organizations and communities, help to build and strengthen relationships, and to empower aboriginal people and their cultures, which would be further enhanced by including more aboriginal members on these committees, as advisory boards were one of the few identified examples where successful relationships with Aboriginal communities or organizations had been established.
Record source
Information about the record source: scientific_pub
Date of publication/issue/production: 2016-01-01T00:00:00+0000
Source Reference(s):
Date of record entry: 2022-12-16