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Ecology, Culture and Economic Potential: Characterizing Pessamit Nitassinan Coastal and Marine Environments

A joint project with the Innu First Nation of Pessamit

We’re fortunate to be working with the Innu First Nation of Pessamit to characterize the coastal and marine environments of the Pessamit Nitassinan, where nature, culture and economic activity exist in harmony. The aim of this project is to acquire knowledge that will serve to protect the community’s land and rights and promote the value of the marine Nitassinan.

As the first-ever environmental characterization of the Pessamit Nitassinan, this project provides a unique opportunity for community members to receive the knowledge of their elders, guardians of age-old traditions, to better connect with their marine lands. In sharing their knowledge and deep understanding of natural cycles, the elders play a key role in the project.

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"Having a clear portrait of the marine Nitassinan is key to deepening our understanding of the area and preserving our land and rights. Plus, it's something we've never done before."

Anne Rock
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"We're really doing something special here."

Majoric Pinette

Reconnecting with the marine Nitassinan

Four years of observation, data, and rediscovered knowledge

In 2022, community members and elders guided us through the marine environment, sharing their knowledge, which we mapped and documented. At the same time, we characterized and inventoried several salt marshes.

In 2023, we conducted the first data collection effort on American lobster to assess the potential for a fishery focused on food, social, and ritual purposes. Among other things, this fishery would contribute to the community’s food security. Community members were trained to identify birds found in the marine and coastal areas of Nitassinan.

In 2024, for the second year in a row, we collected data on American lobsters for food, social, and ritual fishing. From the sky to the sea, the picture has become clearer: surveys of seabirds along the coast and offshore, and exploration of the seabed using underwater drones, revealing the remarkable diversity of marine life.

The year 2025 marked the final exploratory fishing season for American lobster. That year also saw the launch of an archaeological initiative to map historic sites, while an outing with an elder deepened our understanding of the traditional and medicinal uses of coastal and marine plants.

Key partners

The project to characterize the ecosystems, culture and economic potential of Pessamit’s marine Nitassinan is funded through Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s Oceans Management Contribution Program. The funding is reserved for First Nations communities in the estuary and northern gulf of the St. Lawrence River for the years 2021 to 2026. The program aims to increase First Nations participation in the governance and conservation of marine areas.

Tshinashkumitnau, thank you

A special thought for all those who have contributed to this portrait over the past four years:

Majoric Pinette, who has championed this project since its very beginnings, for his quiet strength and dedication to his community; the kind and sensitive Anne Rock, who saw this project come to life and nurtured it with heart and generosity; Samuel Picard-Hervieux, curious and motivated, who brought a breath of fresh air to the project in its final years; Henri Benjamin and his entire team of captains, who entertained us so much on the ground and enriched this portrait with their incredible knowledge and love for Nitassinan; Donald Savard for his generous sharing of expertise and his joie de vivre; all the elders for their presence, their precious insights, their resilience, and that unwavering glimmer of hope in their eyes; the students and interns from Cégep de Baie-Comeau and the Pessamit community who lent us a hand every summer with a smile on their faces; and everyone who supported this project, near and far.