Georges Bank fisheries threatened
Georges Bank is an important fishing area located between Cape Cod and Sable Island. Under the jurisdiction of both Canada and the United States, Georges Bank is a productive spawning area for fish, shellfish, marine animals and seabirds.
Unama’ki’s five Mi’kmaq bands have commercial access to Georges Bank and fishes or have licenses [...]

Unama’KIDS–carpenters for conservation
Unama’KIDS enjoyed a full-day workshop with Paul Koziel from Nova Scotia Natural Resources, building nesting boxes for the final release of American Martens in Unama’ki.
The American Marten is an endangered species here and UINR has been involved with Parks Canada and Nova Scotia Natural Resources in a project that has seen the release [...]

Moose management–the next step
The release in August of Tiamuwel Netuklimkewe–Unama’ki Moose Harvesting According to Netukulimk was an historic moment for the Mi’kmaq of Nova Scotia. It showed that we accept the responsibility as stewards of the resource and that the time has come to assert our rights.
Clifford Paul, Moose Management Coordinator explains, “The release of [...]

UINR is planing a hardwood silviculture tour in the Truro area on November 10. A bus will be leaving from Eskasoni taking interested people on an all-day trip. Contact mark@uinr.ca for more information and to book your seat…Youth and Elder moose hunts have been very successful this fall in Unama’ki with community-organized hunts from Eskasoni, [...]

Making a difference
Another St. Anne’s Mission has come and gone and, thanks to the dedication of the teams of workers organized by the Pitu’paq partnership, it was cleaner both during the Mission and afterwards.
Once again, students from the Nova Scotia Youth Corps were involved in the recycling and waste disposal program. They worked weeks before [...]

Unama’KIDS shoreline cleanup
Unama’KIDS got off to a productive start this year participating in the TD Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup. They joined nearly 60,000 volunteers from across the country who helped clean up almost 1,600 different sites.
While picking up debris and garbage along the Whycocomagh shoreline, they counted every piece of garbage and catalogued it to [...]

First CAMP in region
Community Aquatic Monitoring Program– CAMP is a project where communities monitor the health and marine productivity of their local aquatic ecosystem.
From May–September, we monitored six sites around the Bras d’ Or Lakes using protocols developed by Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Long-term monitoring of fish and crustacean species, water temperature, salinity and dissolved [...]

New science projects at UINR
It is going to be a busy year for UINR! We recently received support from Aboriginal Funds for Species at Risk to continue our eel research in the Bras d’Or Lakes. The project will determine biological characteristics and the relationship of American Eel (Kataq) abundance in the Bras d’Or Lakes. We [...]

A giant leap
After years of consultation, research and planning,
Assembly of Nova Scotia Mi’kmaq Chiefs released
Mi’kmaq guidelines for moose hunting in Cape Breton.
Tia’muwe’l Netuklimkewe’l–Unama’ki Moose Harvesting According to Netukulimk was created by the Mi’kmaq people of Nova Scotia and is an important step for Mi’kmaq self-governance over our traditional resources.
If you don’t have a copy of [...]

It’s that time of the year! UINR has $15,000.00 in scholarships available for eligible Mi’kmaq students in Unama’ki!
Download the files below to see how you can apply.
NewPage Scholarship 2009
NewPage Forestry Scholarship 2009
Georgia Pacific Scholarship 2009

Unama’ki Institute of Natural Resources (UINR) requires the development of a Human Resource Manual for their Natural Resource Officer Program. It should include policies on hiring,communication, discipline and human resources.
The Manual must be in line with current administrative procedures of provincial andfederal officer programs dealing with natural resource management. UINR’s Natural Resource Officer Program is [...]

The first class of Unama’KIDS graduated at a ceremony in Eskasoni and joined a new group of kids that will be involved in next year’s project. The focus of the day was eels and we looked at the species from a traditional and a scientific point of view. Blair Bernard showed how to spear, [...]

UINR is working with Parks Canada to study the population of American eel in Cape Breton Highlands National Park.
Throughout June, UINR staff will catch, measure and release elvers (young eels) as they enter the rivers and brooks between Ingonish Beach and Neil’s Harbour.
The project is looking at the migration of the elvers from the ocean [...]

Hubert Nicholas must have salt water in his blood! He’s been out on the ocean fishing for as long as he can remember. He started working professionally as a fisherman’s helper in 1988 and eventually became Captain of his own commercial fishing business. Over the years, he’s fished lobster, snow crab, herring, rock crab, tuna [...]