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Migmaq Ecological Knowledge

Species at risk in Gespegewagi


Resource Council
Gespegewaq Migmaq
Copyright 2012 Gespegewaq Migmaq Resource Council
Gespegewaq Migmaq Resource Council
1 Marshall Way
Listuguj, QC G0C2R0
Tel. 418-788-3017
Fax 418-788-3192
info@migmaqresource.org
Contents
1. Plamu/Wild Atlantic salmon .................................................................... p ii
2. Introduction .............................................................................................p 1
3. Migmaq Role in Species at Risk Management ......................................p 1
4. Galipu/Eastern Woodland caribou ..........................................................p 2
5. The Gespegewaq Migmaq Resource Council ......................................p 3
4. Our Species at Risk Work ......................................................................p 3
7. Jigaw/Striped Bass ................................................................................p 4
8. Gatej/American Eel ................................................................................p 6
5. Previous GMRC AFSAR projects ...........................................................p 7
6. Species at Risk Found in Gespegewagi ...............................................p 7
7. Appendix A
i) Defnitions ..........................................................................................p 8
ii) Aboriginal Funds for Species at Risk ................................................p 8
Plamu
Atlantic Salmon
COSEWIC Status: Special Concern
Population: Gaspe Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence
ii
1
Like many First Nation groups in Canada, the Migmaq all have a deep
connection with their natural environment, which includes many plant and
animal species. For generations, these species and their habitats have
sustained the Migmaq by providing food, medicine, clothing, shelter,
and tools. These species have also contributed socially, culturally, and
economically to Migmaq society.
The Migmaq language and culture have evolved over thousands of
years of interaction with these species and habitat, which has also
shaped many of their traditions and social connections. However,
due to numerous human activities, many species are now at risk of
disappearing from Canada, which include many species signifcant
to the Migmaq way of life. Currently, the Committee on the Status of
Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) lists over 340 species as at
risk of disappearing from Canada.
If not prevented, the decline of species in Canada will have a negative
impact the Migmaq way of life for current and future generations. There-
fore, it is important for the Migmaq people to be more actively engaged
in species at risk (SAR) management in order to protect their way of life.
Migmaq Role in Species at Risk Management
Migmaq people play an important role in SAR management. Their long
relationships with the land have made the Migmaq very knowledgeable
on a variety of species and habitat, which includes many species at risk.
This knowledge is known as Migmaq ecological knowledge (MEK).
Recently, the Government of Canada (GoC) has acknowledged the value
of MEK in SAR management. The GoC aims to collect and combine
MEK with western science and incorporate both in recovery strategies,
action plans, management plans, and in defning critical habitat.
MEK is the science and knowledge of the Migmaq people that is derived
from the thousands of years of interaction, observation, and adaptation
of Migmaq with their natural environment. It is found in the language,
culture, and traditions, and has been passed down through the genera-
tions.
Western science is the systematic study of the structure and behavior of
the physical and natural world through observation and experiment. It en-
compasses the scientifc method, which makes observations, constructs
hypotheses, performs experiments and draws conclusions. It is another
type of knowledge that differs from the Migmaq world view. MEK and
western science differ in the following ways:
Migmaq elders pass down this knowledge orally through the generations
versus western science, where it transfers data through academic mate-
rial and literature.
MEK involves thousands of years of observations, versus shorter
observations as seen in western science.
MEK is holistic, where it views everything as being connected, including
the people, unlike western science, where scientists separate them-
selves from nature and the object of their studies.

Introduction
Galipu
Eastern Woodland Caribou
COSEWIC Status: Endangered
Population: Atlantic-Gaspsie
2
3
Although both world views have different approaches to science, both can
be very benefcial when combined, especially in SAR management.
The Gespegewaq Migmaq Resource Council
Since 2006, a goal of the Gespegewaq Migmaq Resource Council
(GMRC) has been to combine the best of MEK and western science
practices in activities that aim to support the recovery of species at risk
and their habitats within the traditional Migmaq district of Gespegewagi.
Gespegewagi extends from the Miramichi River to the tip of the Gaspe
Peninsula and straddles the borders of modern day Quebec and New
Brunswick. It is the seventh and largest district in the Migmaq nation,
which the Migmaq have occupied for thousands of years.
Located in Listuguj, Gespegewagi; the GMRC works closely with the
three Migmaq communities of Listuguj, Eel River Bar, and Pabineau in
activities that support sustainable resource management and facilitate the
recovery, maintenance and development of the resources. Their role in
resource management has led them to work with numerous species at risk
and their habitats. GMRC believes that the Migmaq must be the stewards
of our natural environment in order to protect our resources for current
and future generations.
Our Species at Risk Work
In the past years, GMRC has worked with the Aboriginal Fund for Spe-
cies at Risk (AFSAR) along with numerous elders, resource users and
community members, in activities that aim to build capacity, educate and
raise awareness on SAR issues. Working closely with local Migmaq com-
munity members has also given GMRC the opportunity to collect MEK.
The GMRC believes that with the proper collection, implementation and
combination of both MEK and western science, they can help support the
protection of species at risk and their habitats.
Most recently, the GMRC undertook a project titled A Community-
Based Approach to Gathering Historical Knowledge, Educating and
Raising Awareness within our First Nation Communities on the Striped
Bass, American Eel, Atlantic Salmon, and Woodland Caribou.
The purpose of this project was to:
Gain a larger understanding of the Striped Bass, American Eel, Atlantic
Salmon and Woodland Caribou as it pertains to the Migmaq of Eel River
Bar and Pabineau community members through the collection of MEK
Build the communities own capacity to collect qualitative data
Help protect the species and habitat through education and raising aware-
ness material
The GMRC focused on these four (4) species, as they are important to
the Migmaq but are also at risk of disappearing from Gespegewagi.
Currently the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada
(COSEWIC) lists the following statuses on these species:

Jigaw
Striped Bass
COSEWIC Status: Threatened
Population: Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence
4

5
American Eel - Threatened
Atlantic Salmon - (Gaspe Southern gulf of St. Lawrence) Special concern
Striped Bass (Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence) - Threatened
Woodland Caribou (Atlantic-Gaspsie) - Endangered
Striped bass and Woodland caribou once sustained the Migmaq in
Gespegewagi, but due to a number of threats, these species can no
longer be accessed. Striped bass are threatened by by-catch from
commercial fsheries and illegal fshing. Another issue threatening
Striped bass is the limited spawning grounds available to this species.
Currently the only known spawning ground of the Striped bass found
within Gespegewagi is located in the Miramichi River. This limited
spawning ground has resulted in the suspension of all recreational
striped bass fsheries along with the food, social and ceremonial
fshery of the Mi'gmaq in Gespe'gewa'gi. The remaining populations of
Woodland caribou are currently at risk of becoming extinct. They have
already been extirpated
from the Maritimes due to
habitat loss by industrial
development, where the
only remaining populations
found in Gespegewagi
today are located in the
Atlantic-Gaspsie area.
American eel and Atlantic
salmon continue to
contribute to the Migmaq
in Gespegewagi today,
but due to a number
of threats, our access
to these species may
become limited just as
with the Striped bass and
Woodland caribou. Dams
and other barriers threaten
American eel, as these
structures block their natural migration routes, which can affect spawning
and access to available habitat. Also, dam turbines can injure or kill
migrating adult eels.
Atlantic salmon are threatened by over fshing, habitat loss, and loss of
available spawning grounds. Atlantic salmon spawning grounds require
fresh, cool, and well-oxygenated water for egg survival.
Human activities such as industry, pollution/environmental contamina-
tion, habitat degradation, and over fshing continue to contribute to these
species decline and continue to impact the Migmaq way of life. The
GMRC hopes that though our SAR work, we can help prevent these
species at risk from disappearing from Gespegewagi, or worse, being
completely wiped out of existence.
GMRC does not claim ownership of
any knowledge or information col-
lected through its projects. Owner-
ship of such knowledge remains
with those who shared it. All data
collected by GMRC is without preju-
dice. It will be collected, digitized
and stored in a database within
GMRC. This saved data will be used
to develop future SAR work along
with preserving this knowledge for
future generations.
For more information on our projects
and species at risk, please visit our
website at www.migmaqresource.
org/species.
Gatej
American Eel
COSEWIC Status: Threatened
Population: N/A
6
7
Previous GMRC AFSAR Projects
Year Project Title Species
2010-2011
To Conduct an Ecological As-
sessment Between the Ameri-
can Eel and the Maritime Ring-
let Butterfy in the Traditional
District of Gespegewagi
American Eel
Maritime Ringlet Butterfy
2009-2010
Estimating Relative Abun-
dance of Juvenile American
Eel (Elvers) in Gespegewagi
(present day Miramichi River,
New Brunswick area to south-
ern parts of Quebecs Gasp
Peninsula).
American Eel
2008-2009
Capacity building, historical
traditional ecological knowledge
and current status investiga-
tion of endangered species on
aboriginal lands of the Resti-
gouche River
Gulf of St. Lawrence Aster
Harlequin Duck
Maritime Ringlet Butterfy
Species at Risk Found in Gespegewagi
All the species and habitat that GMRC works with are found within Gespegewagi,
with specifc focus on species that are highly signifcant to our Mi'gmaq nation.
Here are a few species at risk found in Gespegewagi:
Atlantic Salmon
Woodland Caribou
American Eel
Striped Bass
Atlantic Sturgeon
Peregrine Falcon
Piping Plover
Gulf of St. Lawrence Aster
Harlequin Duck
Maritime Ringlet Butterfy

8
Appendix A
Denitions
COSEWIC - The Committee on the Status of Endangered
Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) is comprised of indepen-
dent scientifc experts from all felds and are mandated to
assess the status of wildlife species in Canada.
Extinct - A wildlife species that no longer exists.
Extirpated - A wildlife species that no longer exists in the
wild in Canada, but exists elsewhere.
Endangered - A wildlife species facing imminent extirpation
or extinction.
Threatened - A wildlife species that is likely to become
endangered if nothing is done to reverse the factors leading
to its extirpation or extinction.
Special Concern - A wildlife species that may become
threatened or endangered because of a combination of
biological characteristics and identifed threats.
Data Decient - A category that applies when the available
information is insuffcient (a) to resolve a wildlife species'
eligibility for assessment or (b) to permit an assessment of
the wildlife species risk of extinction.
Not At Risk - A wildlife species that has been evaluated
and found to be not at risk of extinction given the current
circumstances.
Recovery Strategies - A recovery strategy is a planning
document that identifes what needs to be done to reverse
the decline of a species. It sets goals and objectives and
identifes the main areas of activities to be undertaken. De-
tailed planning is done at the subsequent action plan stage.
Action Plans - An action plan outlines the projects or
activities required to meet the goals and objectives outlined
in the recovery strategy. This includes information on the
species habitat, protection measures, and an evaluation of
the socio-economic costs and benefts. t is the second part
of the two-part recovery planning process and is used to
implement the projects or activities to improve the species
status.
Management Plans - A management plan differs from a re-
covery strategy and action plan, as it sets goals and objec-
tives for maintaining sustainable population levels of one or
more species that are particularly sensitive to environmen-
tal factors, but which are not in danger of becoming extinct.
Critical Habitat - Habitat that is necessary for the survival
or recovery of a species.
Aboriginal Fund for Species at Risk
The Aboriginal Fund for Species at Risk (AFSAR) was
created as an important element of the implementation
of the Species at Risk Act. The protection of species at
risk in Canada depends upon a meaningful collaboration
with Aboriginal people and organizations in the imple-
mentation of programs under the Species at Risk Act.
The Act recognizes the role that Aboriginal people play
in wildlife conservation and requires that Aboriginal tra-
ditional knowledge be taken into account when assess-
ments of which species are at risk are carried out and
when protection and recovery measures are developed
and implemented.
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Gespegewaq Migmaq
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