ⴰⵔⵔⴰⵎⴰⵜ The Ărramăt Project

🌊𝗦𝗦𝗙 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁 𝗜𝗜𝗜: 𝗦𝗦𝗙 𝗚𝘂𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 The second day of the SSF Summit 2026 featured sessions on collaborative experiences between SSF representatives, NGO practitioners and researchers. Sherry Pictou (@wffpworldwide , Confederacy of Mi'kmaq Nations, Nova Scotia) and Tony Charles (Saint Mary's University, ICSF member) shared the story of a partnership spanning more than 20 years: one that has helped shape the very foundations of the SSF Guidelines. Their collaboration began in Canada, working behind the scenes to strengthen connections between Indigenous and non-Indigenous fishing communities following a landmark Supreme Court ruling recognising treaty rights to fishing. That work soon found an international dimension: both were present at the 2008 Bangkok Summit, where the statement that became the foundational basis for the SSF Guidelines was drafted, alongside figures such as Fr. Thomas Kocherry and Ravadee Prasertcharoensuk, ICSF member. Today, their partnership continues through the @ArramatProject , an initiative exploring how Indigenous rights and health are linked to biodiversity and sustainable resource use, set to feature in a forthcoming FAO publication. Sherry also spoke poignantly of collaborations closer to home, including a study tour that brought Indigenous and commercial harvesters together in Nova Scotia, and of the ongoing work needed to ensure the Guidelines truly serve women and Indigenous communities. As Sherry put it: success in small-scale fisheries is built on trust, and on the courage to build relationships across divides. #ssfsummit2026 #ssfguidelines #smallscalefisheries #fishercommunities #IndigenousRights #fisheries