First Nations Principles of OCAP

CIOOS is committed to working respectfully with Indigenous communities and their ocean data

CIOOS is striving to adhere to the First Nations Principles of OCAP

The First Nations Principles of OCAP asserts First Nations control over data collection processes in their communities, and that they own and control how this information can be stored, interpreted, used, or shared. It also reflects First Nations commitments to use and share information in a way that maximizes the benefit to the community, while minimizing harm. OCAP is a tool to support information governance for First Nations data sovereignty.

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The First Nations Principles of OCAP include:

Ownership

Refers to the relationship of First Nations to their cultural knowledge, data, and information. This principle states that a community or group owns information collectively in the same way that an individual owns his or her personal information.

Control

Affirms that First Nations, their communities, and representative bodies are within their rights in seeking control over research and information management processes that impact them. First Nations control of research can include all stages of a particular research project-from start to finish. The principle extends to the control of resources and review processes, the planning process, information management, etc.

Access

Refers to the fact that First Nations must have access to information and data about themselves and their communities regardless of where it is held. The principle of access also refers to the right of First Nations’ communities and organizations to manage and make decisions regarding access to their collective information. This may be achieved, in practice, through standardized, formal protocols.

Possession

While ownership identifies the relationship between a people and their information in principle, possession or stewardship is more concrete. It refers to the physical control of data. Possession is the mechanism by which ownership can be asserted and protected.