Study connects Indigenous fishing communities in Canada and Uganda to affect policy
Virtual gatherings will allow communities to identify ways to strengthen Indigenous stewardship.
As part of an international partnership, a Virginia Tech faculty member in the College of Natural Resources and Environment landed a grant from the International Development Research Center of Canada in collaboration with the Cross-Cultural Foundation of Uganda to work with Indigenous fishing communities in Canada and Uganda.
The work is meant to create more effective governance and protect the livelihoods and cultural practices of those populations in North America and Africa.
Beth Nyboer, a faculty member in the Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation and the Global Change Center, was awarded a grant from the Cross-Cultural Foundation of Uganda for a new initiative designed to give Indigenous fishing communities in Canada and Uganda a voice in shaping local and global policies.
That study is one of a seven projects funded from the research center in Canada through the Cross-Cultural Foundation of Uganda.
The proposal titled “Considering Indigenous stewardship across continents: Identifying pathways for equitable fisheries governance in Canada and Uganda,” intends to build a research plan designed and led by Indigenous people that focuses on their priorities by focusing on overlooked communities whose entire lives and cultures revolve around fishing, but who usually get left out of official government decisions.
Indigenous fishing groups in Uganda and Canada will be connected so they can share lessons and learn from each other’s successes. Everyone from elders and cultural leaders to youth in the villages are involved, aiming to protect local food supplies from climate change and take charge of their own future.
Valence Byaruhanga, a Ugandan who is working on his Master’s degree in the Adaptive Fisheries Lab at Virginia Tech, will be an investigator. He has worked extensively with sustainability of inland fisheries in East Africa.
“The project will explore shared connections to fish, water, and stewardship, through storytelling, dialogue, and collaborative learning,” Nyboer said. “By bringing communities together, we hope to identify shared priorities and support culturally grounded approaches to fisheries governance.”
The cross-continental project aims to create for fairer laws, protect traditional ways of life, and build climate-resilient food systems through mid-March 2027.
