Unama'ki Institute of Natural Resources | Mi'kmaq Sustainable Resources - Eskasoni, Membertou, Potlotek, Wagmatcook, Waycobah

Pjila’si

Unama’ki Institute of Natural Resources represents the five Mi’kmaq communities of Unama’ki and was formed to address concerns regarding natural resources and their sustainability.

Management of our commercial fisheries involves a complex range of techniques and strategies including scientific, resource, commercial, and market information. The main mechanism for communication between governments and industry is through advisory and various other fisheries committees and groups. Attendance at these meetings is critical to full participation in co-management...

Forestry

The UINR forestry division strives for an environmentally sound way to use our natural resources while creating employment for members of our communities and further strengthening relationships between local industry and Mi'kmaq people.

Moose

Moose have provided much to the Mi'kmaq through the years. The Mi'kmaq way of resource management includes a spiritual element that ties the people to the plants, animals and the environment as a whole. A Moose Management Plan will put into practice the responsibilities that accompany Mi'kmaq treaty rights.

Netukulimk

At the soul of everything we do at UINR is Netukulimk. Netukulimk is the use of the natural bounty provided by the Creator for the self-support and well-being of the individual and the community. Netukulimk is achieving adequate standards of community nutrition and economic well-being without jeopardizing the integrity, diversity, or...

Natural Resource Officers

UINR's Natural Resource Officer (NRO) program began in 2006, evolving out of the 1990 Unama'ki Guardian Program. The original Guardian Program is managed by the individual bands. UINR's NRO project will allow coordinated work plans and targeted training under our NRO Coordinator to ensure our enforcement and conservation goals succeed.

Opportunities

Check back to this section on a regular basis to see if there are job opportunities, scholarships or other opportunities. Whenever there is an opening at UINR or if there is a new project that is looking for staff, we post it here!

Partnerships

UINR's partnerships with other organizations are an important part of what we do and the successes we have achieved. Our lead role in organizations such as Pitu'paq and the Bras d'Or Lakes Collaborative Environmental Planning Initiative have resulted in important accomplishments in achieving our environmental and management goals. Through our partnerships UINR...

Research

UINR's research is guided by our communities and the advice and guidance of our community's Elders. Our emphasis is research on species of concern to Mi'kmaq such as oyster, lobster, eel, gaspereau and other food fishing species. Species at Risk and invasive species are also of great concern at UINR....

Unama’KIDS

Unama'KIDS looks a natural resources and the environment from the point-of-view of youth in Unama'ki. One of our goals at UINR is to reach the youth in our communities and work with them to determine what information they need, and to develop innovative ways to get that information to them that...

Eel Video Day 5-Eels at Risk

Apr 21, 2013

It’s Slippery Sunday and time for today’s eel video– EELS AT RISK. You can watch it here. Eels are a Threatened Species in Cape Breton and scientists here are determined to find out why. Parks Canada’s James Brigland, UINR’s Shelley Denny and CBU’s Katherine Jones tell us what they are learning from both science and...

Eel Video Day 4-Eel Traditions

Apr 20, 2013

It’s Slimy Saturday and time for today’s eel video– EEL TRADITIONS. You can watch it here. Albert Marshall, Charlie Joe Malikewe’j, John Sylliboy, Kerry Prosper and Shelley Denny look at the traditions of eeling in Mi’kmaq culture and the traditional knowledge that has been passed down over thousands of years and is alive today. Every...

Eel Video Day 3-Eel Parasite

Apr 19, 2013

Today’s Eel video is EEL PARASITE. You can watch it here. Katherine Jones, Shelley Denny and Angela Denny are scientists researching the eel bladder parasite in Cape Breton eels. The discovery of a roundworm infestation in eels has led to intensive study of the declining population. Every day for ten days UINR is releasing a...

Eel Video Day 2-Eel Lifecycle

Apr 18, 2013

Today’s Eel video is EEL LIFECYCLE. You can watch it here. Eels can live to over 40 years and have a unique and complex lifecycle, starting life down south in the Sargaso Sea and finding their way to live and mature in Cape Breton lakes and rivers. Parks Canada Ecologist James Brigland joins UINR’s Shelley...

Eel Video Day 1-Eel Habitat

Apr 17, 2013

UINR is releasing a series of ten short videos on the American eel. Every day, for the next ten days, UINR will release a new video and post its link here, on our Facebook page–UINRpage and on Twitter @UINR. Today’s eel video is EEL HABITAT–Where they live and all about eel lifestyle is the theme. Shelley...

Everything You Wanted to Know About Eels…

Apr 16, 2013

UINR is releasing a series of ten short videos on the American eel. Together, the series tells everything we know about the American eel in Cape Breton. Produced in cooperation with Parks Canada,scientists from UINR, Parks Canada and Cape Breton University, fishers, cooks and Elders from around Cape Breton tell stories of the eel’s fascinating...

New Issue of UINR Marten now Available

Apr 11, 2013

The latest issue of UINR Marten, our 30th, is now available for a free download here. This issue is packed with information on UINR’s activities and resources, everything from information of identifying salmon to news on the Golden Award winners. This issue’s It’s All About the People features a profile on UINR’s Commercial Fisheries Liaison...

How old is that salmon??

Feb 25, 2013

Staff from UINR, Eskasoni Fish & Wildlife Commission and Potlotek Guardians were at hand at a workshop, hosted by UINR, to age salmon by examining their scales. Fred Whoriskey, Executive Director of the Ocean Tracking Network, provided the background of his organization’s activities in the Bras d’Or Lakes and throughout Nova Scotia. He explained some...

Training for CAPTAINS and FIRST MATES

Feb 24, 2013

Training for CAPTAINS and FIRST MATES on the identification, handling and release of marine animals considered species-at-risk such as marine mammals, sharks, wolffish and sea turtles. Presentations will be given by the Canadian Sea Turtle Network, Marine Animal Response Society and the World Wildlife Fund. MEMBERTOU and POTLOTEK–Membertou Trade and Convention Centre, Tuesday February...

New Research Article on Eel Parasite Published

Feb 12, 2013

UINR is proud to announce the publication of our first research article in the journal BioInvasions Records of the Regional Euro-Asian Biological Invasions Centre (REABIC). Distribution, prevalence and intensity of Anguillicoloides crassus in the American eel, Anguilla rostrata, in the Bras d’Or Lakes, Nova Scotia was written by Shelley K. Denny, Angela Denny and Tyson...

Meet MELC’s New Coordinator

Feb 1, 2013

Welcome Nadine LeFort, Mi’kmaq Environmental Learning Centre’s Education and Outreach Coordinator. Nadine will be coordinating the Unama’KIDS program, Nikani Awtiken summer camp and working on other education projects. Nadine recently returned home to Cape Breton after working for four years as Education Program Director and Curriculum Developer for the Sierra Club BC in Victoria. She...

UINR 2011/2012 Annual Report

Jan 11, 2013

UINR’s Annual Report 2011/2012–Continuing the Tradition– covers UINR’s activities from April 2011–March 2012. Our Annual Report also outlines our partners and lists our staff and board of directors for the period. The report also gives an overview of our audited financial statements. You can download a copy here.