MAARS Vision

Building multi-stakeholder partnerships, developing greater capacity, promoting effective participation and meaningful involvement in decision making governance about aquatic resources, oceans management the modern commercial fishery, and rightful access to food social ceremonial treaty fisheries.

In 2003 and 2004, the three Native Aboriginal Peoples Councils (New Brunswick Aboriginal Peoples Council, Native Council of Nova Scotia, Native Council of Prince Edward Island) and their governing boards representing the Off-Reserve Communities of Mi’kmaq, Malecite and Passamaquoddy Aboriginal Peoples, as partners to the Maritime Aboriginal Peoples Council (MAPC) and their Aboriginal Communal Commercial Fisheries Entities (ACCFE’s) agreed to participate and collaborate at the regional level to form an Aboriginal aquatic resources, and oceans management body the Maritime Aboriginal Aquatic Resources (MAARS).

Through a series of meetings, planning sessions and discussions with their communities and their Aboriginal communal commercial fisheries entities, MAPC with DFO , collectively approved the establishment of MAARS.

The vision of MAARS builds on the path of recognition, respect, and sharing through partnerships and building predictable multi-stakeholder relationships, developing greater capacity, meaningful participation, and direct involvement in decision making governance about aquatic resources, oceans management, the commercial fishing industry and meaningful governance and best business practices.

MAARS Mission

Collectively advancing the rightful share to Atlantic aquatic resources for the sustained economic growth of the Maritime Aboriginal Peoples continuing on their traditional ancestral homeland.

The MAARS mission is to work together with multi-stakeholders in a climate of partnership and co-management with DFO for sustainable aquatic resources and a healthy ocean.

MAARS Goals

Advancing Aboriginal fisheries & oceans entities best practices, management and decision making.

MAARS Goals:

  1. Institute a focal point collaborative management body in the Region;
  2. Establish greater effective involvement of the community in governance decision making;
  3. Identify and exchange best management practices;
  4. Develop predictable multi-stakeholders relationships;
  5. Acquire knowledge and maintain an information repository;
  6. Maximize opportunities for the sustainable and viable aboriginal communal commercial fisheries;
  7. Plan and expand human capacity about aquatic resources, ocean management and the communal commercial fishing industry;
  8. Identify and nurture public and private support for Aboriginal Peoples growth through their rightful access to aquatic resources and ocean resources;
  9. Propose collaborative enforcement approaches and champion professional fisheries codes of conduct;
  10. Create a climate for cross-sectorial relationships and knowledge about Canadas Oceans Act;
  11. Incorporate sustainable development transects, such as the Oceans Act, Biodiversity Strategy, Species at Risk Act and the United Nations Sustainable development goals and an understanding about aquatic resources, aquatic management, fishing plans, and marine spatial planning;
  12. Foster greater understanding about engagement processes between other government departments and like minded institutions and organizations;
  13. Profile the Off-Reserve of Aboriginal fisheries communities experiences, work and growth efforts.