POINTE-A-LA-CROIX, QUE. --
An Indigenous community in eastern Quebec has signed a five-year agreement with Ottawa to develop a collaborative approach to governing the band's fisheries.
The federal Fisheries Department issued a statement Sunday saying the Rights Reconciliation Agreement on Fisheries represents a "starting point for discussions" with the Listuguj First Nation.
Fisheries Minister Bernadette Jordan says the agreement allows for a collaborative approach to fisheries governance and upholds the treaty rights of Mi'kmaq First Nations to harvest and sell fish in pursuit of a moderate livelihood.
Jordan says the agreement could help the band achieve economic self-reliance by obtaining more fishing licences, as well as more boats and gear.