The identification, knowledge, use and access to aquatic resources by many oceans interests have a long history in the Maritime Region. Some aquatic fish and plant species are fished for commercial purposes: thousands of other aquatic life forms are still to be identified, their use and value to be understood, and access to be cautiously approached.
A large traditional Aboriginal knowledge base exists for some aquatic resources. This knowledge is largely community based or localized.
- MAARS serves its partners by creating a broad based repository of knowledge about Maritime Region aquatic resources of value to all communities including our traditional ancestral homeland Aboriginal Coastal Peoples throughout the Maritime Region.
- MAARS serves its partner communities’ Aboriginal communal commercial fisheries by encouraging co-operation and sharing knowledge. MAARS, also acquires compiles and shares regional broad-based aquatic resources knowledge and information.
- MAARS supports its partners to establish active roles in resource planning processes. MAARS promotes understanding about the diverse aquatic resources and assists in developing broad inter-community and inter-societal relationships or partnerships for sharing localized aquatic resources knowledge.
When all interests work together, sharing local knowledge, the Maritime Region tapestry of broad based aquatic resources knowledge emerge – vital knowledge for sustaining aquatic resources in the region.