The Lower Fraser Fisheries Alliance is an Indigenous technical organization that works to advance the collective fisheries interests of Lower Fraser First Nations.
LFFA is currently made up of 24 signatory Nations from the mouth of the Fraser River to the Fraser Canyon, as well as 6 non-signatory member Nations.
We are Sq'eptset Syoyes Sth'o'th'eqwi – fishers working together.
The Lower Fraser Fisheries Alliance is empowered by our member Nations to strengthen the working relationship between Nations as it relates to fisheries management, work towards collaborative fisheries management processes with Crown governments, and facilitate discussion between all levels of governments about the recognition of recognition of First Nations inherent rights to fish and water.
Our mission is to promote and support the management of a robust and expanding fishery for the First Nations of the Lower Fraser River and support our cultural and spiritual traditions for future generations.
We do this by holding monthly fishers Forums to discuss common issues in the lower Fraser River and its tributaries, where each member Nation sends a delegate. Nine of the delegates serve on the Executive Committee (including two who act as co-chairs for the organization) and delegates can also serve on Working Groups like the Technical Salmon Working Group, Technical Non-Salmon Working Group, Agreements Working Group, or the Communications Events and Admin Working Group. LFFA hosts other meetings and events throughout the year to help share important information with fishers and communities.
Our staff capacity includes an Executive Director, Finance & Admin departments, an Indigenous Knowledge department and biologists, field technicians, and project managers who work in the Habitat Restoration, Resource Management, and Stewardship Departments. There is also communications and legal support.
Keep reading to learn more about the history of the Lower Fraser Fisheries Alliance, our members and governance structure, find our Strategic Plan, or read summaries of our Resource Management, Habitat Restoration, Stewardship and Indigenous Knowledge projects.
History of the LFFA
The Lower Fraser Fisheries Alliance was established in 2010 to meet the need for improved coordination and communications on salmon management between Lower Fraser First Nations, and between those First Nations and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
From the beginning, LFFA’s work has been guided by the Nations’ shared values:
Respect for the opinions, voices, experiences, and culture of others
Our inherent rights to fish and manage the fishery
Trust, honesty, openness, and reciprocity
Commitment to the sustainability of our fish for 7 generations
Recognition of the connectivity of the ecosystem
Collaboration: Sq’eptset Syoyes Sth’o’th’eqwi (Fishers working together)
LFFA’s core function was to support our member Nations through pre-season, in-season and post-season engagement processes with DFO by providing technical support and facilitation. This is still the case today.
In the early days, the focus was on building our own capacity to engage and equipping Nations with the information they needed to fight for rights-based fisheries planning.
Thanks to consistent staffing levels and stable leadership, participation at LFFA tables has grown over the years, and the type of work the organization is able to take on has expanded. (See project summaries from our Resource Management, Habitat Restoration, Stewardship and Indigenous Knowledge departments.)
LFFA is proud of what we’ve accomplished to date and looks forward to continuing to evolve alongside Lower Fraser Nations who are quickly becoming leaders in land and water stewardship in our territories.
Strategic Plan
LFFA is at a pivotal moment in time and our 2023- 2026 Strategic Plan will see us through this period of rapid change.
Our core objectives for this period are to:
1. Address the decision-making gap of First Nations in key areas of management and stewardship.
2. Develop the strength and influence of the LFFA.
Governance
The Lower Fraser Fisheries Alliance is currently made up of 24 signatory Nations from the mouth of the Fraser River to the Fraser Canyon, as well as 6 non-signatory member Nations. See our membership list here.
Each member Nation appoints one delegate and one alternate to actively participate in LFFA forums and meetings throughout the year. The Executive Committee, composed of nine delegates selected from this group, oversees the organization. All staff, through the Executive Director, are accountable to the Executive Committee.
The nine seats on the Executive Committee and distributed regionally as follows:
• 1 seat for the Mouth of Fraser River to Port Mann Bridge
• 1 seat for Port Mann Bridge to Mission
• 6 seats for Mission to Hope Bridge
• 1 seat for Hope Bridge to Saw Mill Creek
Two Co-Chairs for the organization are also selected from the Executive Committee membership. You can read the biographies of our current co-chairs here. The co-chairs share the responsibility of leading meetings and acting as spokespersons for the organization.
Delegates gather at Forums, which are held approximately monthly throughout the year, to share information and discuss shared issues. Longer project update meetings happen twice a year to provide detailed briefings on the full scope of activities happening at LFFA. Delegates serve as a liaison between their Nation and the LFFA, conveying information and concerns in both directions. They are also invited to serve on Working Groups, where they can use their specialized expertise and address a specific issue.