In March 2025, Indigenous knowledge holders and conservationists from across Canada met in Antigonish and Paqtnkek (Mi’kma’ki) to deepen their connection to the American Eel (“pimizi”) species. This blog post summarizes their discussions and exchange of knowledge.

Gathering participants shared traditional fishing practices, legal and ecological wisdom, and cultural stories, including visits to eel harvesting sites and teachings from Elders on how to prepare eel, along with treaty histories and Indigenous governance. They reflected on how the eel connects people, land, and history, and how its decline signals loss but also hope and resilience. The event emphasized learning, relationship-building, and centring Indigenous perspectives in efforts to restore eel populations and protect treaty rights.

The Conservation through Reconciliation Partnership (CRP) provided some funds to support this project. The CRP Student Bursary initiative was made possible through the generous contributions of the following partners: WWF-Canada, Nature United, the Nature Conservancy of Canada, and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.

Additional funding was secured by Leora Gansworth and administered by the Cooke Lab at Carleton University, the Lenfest Foundation through Dr. Jane McMillan, and the Canadian Wildlife Federation (for transportation).

(Image: Jonathan Cote, KZA Guardians Coordinator. Credit: Stephany Hildebrand)