Stewardship and Community Involvement

Regulations and enforcement alone are not enough to protect fish and fish habitat; a combination of these with a proactive approach are required. Canadians may play a role in safeguarding one of the country's natural treasures by acting as stewards of our fisheries resources. This website provides resources to assist Canadians in the Pacific Region in their stewardship and community involvement activities.

Stewardship, simply stated, means Canadians – including landowners and other individual citizens, private companies and volunteers – are caring for our land, air and water, and sustaining the natural processes on which life depends. (Canada Stewardship Agenda: Naturally Connecting Canadians, 2002)

In Pacific Region, Fisheries and Oceans Canada has a long history of stewardship and community involvement through initiatives such as the Salmonid Enhancement Program. The concept of stewardship goes beyond legal obligations to encompass moral obligations and a sense of responsible care. It refers to a wide range of actions and activities of individuals, communities, groups and organizations acting alone or in partnership, to promote, monitor and conserve and restore freshwater and oceans ecosystems.

The Ecosystem Management Branch (EMB) Stewardship and Community Involvement (SCI) unit website provides a listing of Fisheries and Oceans Canada Pacific Region's Community Involvement Program, School Programs, Partnerships, and Programs and Initiatives that help to support stewardship, community involvement and outreach. On this site you will also find Tools for Stewardship, an Events listing, a variety of stewardship Newsletters, and information about our Community Advisors. For more information, feel free to contact us directly (see below). 

Our regional guiding principles are consistent with those of the Canada Stewardship Agenda and the national Oceans Sector Stewardship Framework. They recognize and confirm that Stewardship is implemented at the local level, recognizing the diverse social and economic conditions and introduces integrated planning as a concept. These principles reflect the Department's regional needs to guide Fisheries and Oceans Canada stewardship activities.

Contact Joanne Day, Community Liaison Biologist, Oceans, Ecosystem Management Branch for more details. Telephone: 604-666-6614; fax 604-666-0417 and e-mail Joanne.Day@dfo-mpo.gc.ca.