AIHP

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First Nations (AB) Technical Services Advisory
Group - TSAG
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First Nations (Alberta) Technical Services
Advisory Group -TSAG

• Formed in 1998 through a Chiefs Summit Resolution
• Mandate formed by Chiefs of Alberta First Nations
  and Chiefs Steering Committee
• Board of Directors both technical
• and political representation from
• Treaty 6, Treaty 7, and Treaty 8

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TSAG Environmental Services and Programs

• Circuit Rider Operators / Water and Wastewater
• Source Water Protection Planning (SWPP)
• First Nation Watershed Program (management)
• Aboriginal Inland Habitat Program (AIHP)
• First Nations Conservation
• and Protection Stewardship Program (SAR)
• Climate Change RE/ EE project management
• Fuel Tank and Waste site management
• Environmental Management Strategies
• Environment Stewardship Network

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First Nations (AB) Technical Services Advisory
Group (TSAG)

• Aboriginal Inland
• Habitat Program
• AIHP

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Aboriginal Fish Habitat Management Programs

• Aboriginal Fisheries Strategy (AFS)
• Aboriginal Aquatic Resources and Oceans
  Management Program.
• Both these program are currently available for
  communities where DFO manages the fisheries
  Coastal Provinces
• Aboriginal Inland Habitat Program
• Available to communities where DFO manages Fish
  Habitat Inland Provinces

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Aboriginal Inland Habitat Program

• DFO has committed 2.175 M for the next 2 years
• The program has been identified as a long term
  commitment and will be reviewed by Treasury Board
  in 2011
• AIHP groups
• AB TSAG
• SK Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations
  (FSIN)
• MB Centre for Indigenous Resources (CIER)
• ON Chiefs of Ontario, Nishnawbe Aski Nation
  (NAN), Anishinabek/Ontario Fisheries Research
  Centre (AOFRC), Saugeen Ojibway (SO), Mushkegowuk
  Environmental Resource Centre (MERC),
  Anishinaabeg of Kabapikotawangag Resource Council
  (AKRC)

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DFO AIHP Objectives

• DFO partnering with Aboriginal communities
• Establishing long-term capacity of Aboriginal
  communities for fish habitat management(i.e.
  provide for staff)
• Encourage partnering with province,
  municipalities and industry

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Over Arching AIHP Objective

• Assist First Nation communities in the
  Protection, Recovery, and Management of fish
  habitat and Species at Risk (Aquatic)

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TSAG-AIHP Goals and Objectives

• First Nations Inland Habitat Program Development
  and Management provide the necessary tools for
  political administrative organizations in
  Alberta to
• Build technical capacity for fish habitat
  management participate in habitat regulatory
  reviews various fora groups, develop
  protocols on ATK.
• Link with current DFO strategies or initiatives
  such as Canadas Aboriginal Fisheries Strategy,
  the Aboriginal Inland Habitat Program, Species
  at Risk (terrestrial and aquatic).

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TSAG-AIHP Goals and Objectives

• 2. Aboriginal Traditional Knowledge (ATK)
  Consultation-Accommodations Protocols Development
• A grass roots effort will be taken as many
  communities will have their own protocols in
  place for consultation and accommodation
  processes as well as for the collection of ATK.
• With the potential for fish habitat restoration
  projects to exist there is also the potential for
  ATK, which includes collection methods,
  assessment and integration of the information
  associated with fish and fish habitat management
  policy or practices at the community level.

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TSAG-AIHP Goals and Objectives

• 3. Fisheries Inland Habitat Technical Capacity
  Building
• Provide training that would enhance and build the
  internal technical expertise and capacity that is
  ordinarily external or not readily available to
  First Nations.
• Expert knowledge in these areas would have
  immediate impacts in communities by creating
  regional awareness, capacity development with
  respect to fish habitat stewardship and
  incorporate the key elements of ATK in a First
  Nations Fisheries Strategic plan.
•  

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AIHPs role in Fish Habitat management

• Identify regional and local issues
• Assist First Nations in taking action to improve
  or protect
• Provide education and access to training
• Support greater involvement for First Nations in
  policy development and other initiatives

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Fish Habitat Management examples

• Enhancing and recovering
• Improving or mitigating impacts to wetlands and
  water environments
• e.g. Annual cleanup, wetland reclamation,
  riparian health assessments, source water
  protection
• Preventing damage
• managing negative impacts to wetlands and water
  environments
• e.g. preventing unhealthy shorelines and poor
  water quality by having natural buffer zones

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AIHP Activities

• Collaboration with ENGOs, NGOs, and GOs
• Meeting with other AIHP organizations
• Staff training
• Resources sharing
• Meeting with communities
• Assessing needs
• Project or program planning
• and initiation
• Workshops and training

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AIHP Activities

• Capacity building
• Environmental Assessment and Referral Review
  training
• Geographic information systems (GIS) training in
  collaboration with the U of A
• Riparian Health Assessment training
• Partnering with Cows and Fish
• Regional Conferences

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AIHP Activities

• Youth Engagement
• Development and completion of Stewardship summer
  camp
• community and classroom presentations
• Fish habitat conservation and protection
• Expanding to include field components

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AIHP Activities

• More advanced technical training
• Fish species ID, fish sampling techniques
• e.g. electrofishing
• Habitat restoration and reclamation training
• Species inventories
• Species recovery and introduction
• Source Water Protection Planning
• Watershed management
• Environmental assessments

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• Steve Newton, AIHP Program ManagerFisheries and
  Oceans Canada
• Freshwater Institute501 University Crescent,
  Winnipeg, MB, R3T 2N6 Tel [phone]Fax
  [phone]Steve.newton_at_dfo-mpo.gc.ca

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• Denise Verreault, Environmental Management
  Coordinator
• Amy Cairns, Environmental Technician
• Walters Munde, Environmental Technician
• First Nations (AB) Technical Services Advisory
  Group (TSAG)
• Santa Fe Plaza, 18232 103 ave.
• Edmonton AB, T5S 1S7
• 780-483-8601

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Thank youQuestions?