Northern Integrated Commercial Fisheries Initiative

The Northern Integrated Commercial Fisheries Initiative (NICFI) provides funding and support to Indigenous groups and communities that aren’t eligible for AICFI or PICFI in all areas where DFO manages the fishery. This initiative supports development of Indigenous-owned communal commercial fishing enterprises and aquaculture operations.

NICFI uses a step wise approach with a particular focus on business development planning and advice. It’s targeted at enterprise-specific training for fisheries. It aims to meet the needs of communities whether they wish to pursue a commercial fishery, a redistributive commercial fishery or a hybrid of both.

Objectives

The objectives of NICFI include:

• Build knowledge and skills required to manage fisheries enterprises;
• Increase access to training to fish safely and effectively operate their vessels; and
• Build the capacity needed to meet future commercial fisheries operations, administration and training requirements independently; and
• Enhance economic returns from fisheries and aquaculture for the local and broader benefit of communities.

Components

The NICFI program is divided in four components:

• • Capacity Building (Business Development) (PDF, 657 KB)
  • Harvester Training (PDF, 685 KB)
  • Expansion and Diversification (PDF, 712 KB)
  • Aquaculture Development (PDF, 688 KB)

Contact us

Contact details for user questions.
For more information on this program, please contact:

Program Authority
Indigenous Affairs and Reconciliation Directorate (IARD)
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
300 Laurier Ave. West
Ottawa ON  K1A 0R5

Email: DFO.NICFI-IPCIN.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Related links

• Aboriginal Fisheries Strategy
• Indigenous Marine Servicing Initiative
• Indigenous Program Review
• Atlantic Integrated Commercial Fisheries Initiative
• Pacific Integrated Commercial Fisheries Initiative
• Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s service performance reporting for grants and contributions

Services

• • Capacity building (business development) guide and form (PDF, 657 KB)
  • Harvester training guide and form  (PDF, 685 KB)
  • Expansion and diversification guide and form (PDF, 712 KB)
  • Aquaculture development guide and form (PDF, 688 KB)

Inuktitut version

• • Inuktitut - Capacity building (business development) guide and form (PDF, 354 KB)
  • Inuktitut - Harvester training guide and form (PDF, 392 KB)
  • Inuktitut - Expansion and diversification guide and form (PDF, 379 KB)
  • Inuktitut - Aquaculture development guide and form (PDF, 382 KB)