Lake Nipissing MOU

Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)

The Government of Ontario recognizes NFN’s Chi-Naaknigewin (Constitution) and Fisheries Law, a first for Ontario.  This recognition supports a new approach to fisheries management and nation-to-nation relationship building.

We have made positive strides in our fisheries management activities with the financial and technical resources provided through our MOU with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF).  We are seeing early signs of recovery, however the walleye population remains stressed and requires additional time to rebuild their numbers to maintain a healthy, strong fishery.

In March 2022, we entered the seventh year of our working relationship with the MNRF, which is guided by our shared goal of supporting the recovery the Lake Nipissing walleye population through the full implementation of NFN’s Fisheries Law.   MOU activities, continued harvest monitoring and enforcement efforts are having a positive impact on the fishery and the successful implementation of NFN’s Fisheries Law.

In February 2018, NFN and MNRF received the Gold award at the Institute of Public Administration of Canada (IPAC) Public Sector Leadership awards for our strategic collaboration and shared resource stewarship efforts on Lake Nipissing.  Read the press release here, and view the video submission here.

Learn more about our cooperative work with the MNRF here:
Lake Nipissing Memorandum of Understanding Update: 2021-22