Aboriginal Aquaculture Association

What Aboriginal Aquaculture Association does

The Aboriginal Aquaculture Association (AAA) is a national not-for-profit corporation established in 2003 and headquartered in Campbell River, British Columbia. It functions as a sectoral organization that assists, supports, and facilitates the meaningful participation of First Nations communities and Aboriginal entrepreneurs in Canada's sustainable aquaculture sector. The organization operates with a very small core team — Richard Harry serves as President/Executive Director and Marguerite Parker as Director of Development — and delivers services primarily to First Nations communities in British Columbia with national reach via programs such as the Aboriginal Aquaculture in Canada Initiative (AACI). Its service portfolio includes technical and advisory services (planning, feasibility analysis, implementation support), educational resources (fact sheets on clams, cockles, geoducks, mussels, oysters, sablefish, scallops, and trout), the Aboriginal Principles for Sustainable Aquaculture (APSA) certification framework, and structured participation in DFO's Aquaculture Management Advisory Committees (AMAC) for finfish and shellfish.

The organization's business model is structured around government-funded programs and grant cycles rather than commercial revenue. Funding flows primarily through Fisheries and Oceans Canada's Aboriginal Aquatic Resources and Oceans Management (AAROM) program, with additional support via related federal initiatives such as the Fisheries and Aquaculture Clean Technology Adoption Program (FACTAP) and the Indigenous Marine Servicing Initiative. The AAA also acts as a conduit and referral body to FrontCounter BC for Crown Land Tenure and Aquaculture Licensing applications. No commercial pricing applies because the organization does not sell products to end users; it provides services to Aboriginal communities funded through federal grant mechanisms.

Its go-to-market motion is community-led, relying on direct engagement with First Nations communities, workshops, training, and information dissemination via website content, newsletters, and industry events. Distribution is regional (BC-focused) with national coordination. The organization holds regulatory positioning through designated seats on DFO's Shellfish and Finfish AMAC committees, giving it formal influence over aquaculture management decisions in British Columbia. Partnerships span government (DFO, AAROM, CCFAM), federal funding programs (AACI, FACTAP), educational institutions (Vancouver Island University, North Island College, Lethbridge College), and Indigenous economic development organizations (Waubetek Business Development Corporation).

Name

Aboriginal Aquaculture Association

Legal name

Aboriginal Aquaculture Association

Website

https://aboriginalaquaculture.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Aboriginal Aquaculture Association is a Canadian not-for-profit founded in 2003 that provides advisory, technical, and business development support to First Nations communities and Aboriginal entrepreneurs seeking to participate in Canada's sustainable aquaculture sector. It is funded primarily through federal programs such as AAROM.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aquaculture Advisory Services

NAICS

Aquaculture (11251)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Aquaculture & Fish Health Services (AFAEANAE)

Keywords

• Aquaculture advisory services
• First Nations economic development
• Sustainable aquaculture management
• Aboriginal fisheries support
• Aquaculture business planning

Headquarters

HQ city

Campbell River

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government-Funded Programs and Advisory Services: The AAA operates as a not-for-profit corporation that receives government funding (e.g., AAROM funding 2018-2019) to deliver technical and advisory services, information workshops, and business development support to Aboriginal communities in the aquaculture sector.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The Aboriginal Aquaculture Association is a National not-for-profit corporation that delivers advisory, technical, and business development support to First Nations communities and Aboriginal entrepreneurs in the Canadian aquaculture sector. Its offerings include the AAROM-funded technical and advisory services, the APSA certification framework, Finfish and Shellfish Aquaculture Management Advisory Committees, educational fact sheets on aquaculture species, and a Partnerships Guide for community aquaculture ventures.

Product overview

The Aboriginal Aquaculture Association is a national not-for-profit corporation established in 2003 that serves as a sectoral organization facilitating meaningful participation of Aboriginal communities in sustainable aquaculture development. The organization does not offer a single commercial product but rather provides a portfolio of services including technical and advisory services (AAROM program), educational resources (fact sheets on Clams, Cockles, Geoducks, Mussels, Oysters, Sablefish, Scallops, and Trout), and governance support through Finfish and Shellfish Aquaculture Management Advisory Committees (AMACs). The organization also provides partnership guidance and business development planning support to assist First Nations entrepreneurs in entering the aquaculture sector.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Technical and Advisory Services Business and technical services including planning, development, and implementation support for sustainable aquaculture ventures, identifying opportunities for shellfish, finfish, crustaceans, and marine plants in saltwater or freshwater. Delivered to First Nations communities and Aboriginal entrepreneurs in British Columbia.
• Aboriginal Aquatic Resources & Oceans Management Program (AAROM) Services Government-funded technical and advisory services program delivered through Fisheries and Oceans Canada to support aquaculture development services for First Nations communities in the DFO Pacific Region.
• Aquaculture Fact Sheets

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Waubetek Business Development CorporationminorOthersWaubetek Business Development Corporation was involved in the AACI National Socio-Economic Analysis Report for Aboriginal aquaculture in Canada.
• Aboriginal Aquaculture in Canada Initiative (AACI)coreOthersAACI is a program funded through the Federal Framework for Aboriginal Economic Development Strategic Partnership Initiative, supporting Aboriginal communities and entrepreneurs across Canada with economic development in the aquaculture sector. The AAA was instrumental in developing the AACI.
• Vancouver Island UniversityminorOthersListed as an aquaculture training program provider, one of several educational institutions referenced by AAA for capacity building and skills development.
• North Island CollegeminorOthersListed as a provider of aquaculture and marine training programs, referenced as a resource for skills development in the sector.
• Lethbridge CollegeminorOthersLethbridge College operates an Aquaculture Centre of Excellence and is referenced as a training program provider for aquaculture skills development.
• National Aboriginal Fisheries Forum II (NAFF II) Co-hostscoreOthersThe AAA co-hosted the National Aboriginal Fisheries Forum II (NAFF II) in October 2014 in Nanaimo, BC, bringing together 300+ delegates from First Nations, government, and industry to discuss economic development in fisheries and aquaculture.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance: National industry alliance representing the full Canadian aquaculture value chain across finfish, shellfish, and aquatic plants. Comparable as a broader aquaculture sector advocate, but representing mainstream industry rather than Indigenous-led aquaculture development.

Others

• National Association of Friendship Centres: National Indigenous-led organization providing programs and services to urban Indigenous communities, including economic development support. Comparable as an Indigenous-led national capacity-building and advocacy body, though with broader scope beyond aquaculture.

Direct peers

• BC First Nations Fisheries Council: BC-based organization representing First Nations interests in fisheries and aquatic resource management. Directly comparable as an Indigenous-led fisheries/aquaculture governance and advisory body operating in the same geography and policy ecosystem as AAA.
• BC Shellfish Growers Association: BC-based industry association representing shellfish aquaculture producers. Comparable as a sectoral aquaculture organization in the same geography, though representing industry producers rather than Indigenous communities.
• Aquaculture Association of Canada: National non-profit aquaculture sectoral association focused on sustainable aquaculture development across Canada. Comparable as a sectoral organization convening aquaculture stakeholders, sharing knowledge, and influencing policy—closely aligned with AAA's mandate at the national level.

Regional players

• BC Salmon Farmers Association: BC-based association representing the salmon farming industry, which AAA's Finfish AMAC work directly interfaces with. Comparable as a regional aquaculture sectoral body operating in the same regulatory and geographic space.
• Coastal First Nations: Alliance of BC coastal First Nations focused on sustainable natural resource management including marine resources. Comparable as an Indigenous-led integrated resource management organization with overlapping constituencies in the same BC coastal geography.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aboriginal-aquaculture-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Aboriginal Aquaculture Association