Communities along the Atlantic Coast have relied on the fishery resource for centuries. Recent declines in fish stock, exclusion of First Nation communities, and government policies that favor high-cost allocation of the fishery have threatened the economy, vitality and well-being of coastal communities. This case study describes several powerful tools that were used to gain access to the fishery by local communities. These tools include organization, protest, and litigation. It describes the efficacy of local knowledge collected and presented using new GIS technologies in providing alternative management priorities and strategies.