The challenge and the promise of indigenous peoples’ fishing rights—from dependency to agency

Access to and use of natural resources as a cornerstone in sustaining indigenous cultures has recently obtained considerable international attention. Access to marine resources has become a key issue for many aboriginal peoples struggling to move from dependency on the nation state to self-determining agency. This essay describes and compares recent developments respecting Eastern Canadian Mi’kmaq and North Norwegian Saami initiatives to achieve recognition and realization of their aboriginal entitlements. Core characteristics of the Canadian and Norwegian nation state responses to these initiatives are outlined and discussed, with an emphasis on the implications of aboriginal entitlements for the present ‘privilege allocation’ premise and paternalistic character of fisheries management systems. The essay concludes with a discussion of the potentials for an alliance between coastal zone non-indigenous peoples and indigenous peoples for the purpose of developing an alternative approach to fisheries management that will enhance local agency in and the ecological sustainability of fisheries livelihoods.