Understanding Indigenous knowledge of conservation and stewardship before implementing co-production with Western methodologies in resource management: A focus on fisheries and aquatic ecosystems

In the face of an increasing global human popula­tion and multiple anthropogenic environmental stressors including climate change, the limitations of relying solely on Western science and ap­proaches to mitigating impacts, conserving bio­diversity, and managing resources sustainably is apparent. Many Indigenous Peoples have lived sus­tainably as part of their respective environments for millennia, passing conservation and manage­ment practices down generations despite coloniza­tion and genocide. Long-standing Indigenous knowledge and philosophies offer alternate world­views that can complement Western con­servation and resource management and may strengthen efforts to restore environmental integ­rity and conserve species and ecosystems. Researchers often tout the co-production of knowledge with Indigenous collaborators using frameworks like the Kaswentha (Two Row Wampum—Haudenosau­nee) and the Etuaptmumk (Two Eyed Seeing—Mi’kmaw) without first seek­ing to understand the foundations of Indigenous knowledge itself, and its deep roots in environmen­tal sustainability. We develop a thesis of the embed­ded relational nature of Indigenous knowledges and the unique strengths and perspectives that must be understood before effective and ethical co-production can be possible. We contend that Indigenous knowledge must be treated as a distinct framework to inform conservation and stewardship of biodiversity and nature, rather than selectively integrating it into Western science. Building rela­tionships with local Indigenous nations will help actualize sustainable practices that are rooted in millennia of empirical data. This will help to pro­mote a shift toward a holistic and relational worldview for more impact­ful conservation action.