A Scan of Key Knowledge Holders, Resources and Activities in Atlantic Region Post-Secondary Institutions that can Support Capacity Building in the First Nations Fisheries [Atlantic Aboriginal Economic Development Integrated Research Program, AAEDIRP]

"Post-secondary resources in this scan have been divided into three topics: Fisheries, Business, and Arts, Social Sciences and Integrative Science. The scan documents an immense number of university and college programming, Aboriginal support services, research centres, research reports and projects, and key knowledge holders who can potentially contribute to capacity building in the First Nations fisheries. However, for an exchange of knowledge and collaboration to occur, post-secondary institutions and those working in them need to develop long-term, functional relationships with Aboriginal communities using approaches that take their perspectives into account. Post-secondary institutions as a whole have not yet demonstrated an understanding of Aboriginal communities and developed programming to respond to their needs and perspectives.

Resources documented in the scan reveal that Atlantic Canadian post-secondary institutions have significant capabilities in the realm of Fisheries, Marine Science and Business but these fields are weak in terms of Aboriginal programming, Aboriginal course content, small numbers of Aboriginal faculty and few examples of Aboriginal ways of knowing and learning being employed. No specialized Aboriginal post-secondary programming in the fisheries is currently offered."