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Meeting Notices
The Fraser River Aboriginal Fisheries Secretariat (FRAFS) was established by Fraser First Nations and the Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) in 1994 to provide communications and support services to the Fraser Watershed Steering Committee under the Fraser Watershed Agreement.
The Fraser Watershed Agreement has long since expired but a series of initiatives between the Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans and First Nations in the Fraser River Watershed have maintained the presence of the Secretariat since its inception. FRAFS was hosted by the Shuswap Nation Fisheries Commission (Kamloops) until 2004 at which time the Nicola Tribal Association (Merritt) became the host organization, which it still is today.
Currently the Secretariat provides communications and biological support services to First Nations:
a) The FRAFS Communications Coordinator is responsible for producing our newsletter Watershed Talk. Watershed Talk is generally issued twice a month, but in recent years has also been produced weekly during the height of the fishing season (July through to early September). Our Communications Coordinator also is responsible for the receipt and distribution of ever-increasing communications among Fraser First Nations, and between the Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans and First Nations. Recently this communications network has expanded to include First Nations in the marine approach areas who also fish for Fraser River salmon.
b) Two consulting contract biologists currently work for FRAFS. Their roles are to be involved in fisheries management issues on behalf of First Nations. This involvement can include participating in committees and processes initiated or sponsored by government, with the purpose of providing technical expertise from a First Nations perspective. They are also vital to the very necessary role of helping to analyze and interpret complex fishery management policies, initiatives and decisions that flow from DFO.
As the numbers of meetings and workshops increase in response to a multitude of initiatives and issues surrounding management of Fraser River salmon, the Secretariat also plays a key coordinating and executive support role in arranging venues and associated services for both First Nations and DFO.
This website provides a mechanism by which information about Fraser salmon fisheries management processes and initiatives can be shared among the various resource users and fisheries managers working for both government and tribal organizations. We welcome suggestions and contributions.