Shelley Denny

Shelley Denny is a Mi’kmaq from Eskasoni First Nation and the Senior Advisor for an organization that represents the five First Nations in the Mi’kmaw district of Unama’ki, also known as Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada, the Unama’ki Institute of Natural Resources (UINR). With a keen interest in aquatic life and habitats, Shelley attended Acadia University where she obtained her B.Sc. in Biology and later obtained her M.Sc. in Biology at St. FX University in fisheries ecology. Later in life, she later obtained a PhD at Dalhousie University in Interdisciplinary Studies.

Her research interests include exploring ways Indigenous and western knowledge can be used for the benefit of all, known as Two-Eyed Seeing. Her doctoral research built on her current interest and experience at UINR by exploring how Aboriginal and treaty fisheries can be governed in Nova Scotia using Two-Eyed Seeing.

Shelley enjoys opportunities to work with traditional fishers/harvesters and plays a key role in bringing the voice of traditional Mi’kmaw fishers into discussions with Indigenous, federal, provincial governments.

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