Ikirassaaluit Qikiqtaimi (Polynyas of the Belcher Islands): A proposal to support marine conservation efforts for the Qikiqtait

The Belcher Island archipelago and its community, Sanikiluaq, Nunavut, encompass a marine region of conservation interest for both the Qikiqtani Inuit Association and Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), called Qikiqtait. In collaboration with the Arctic Eider Society and Sanikiluaq Hunters and Trappers Organization, scientists from the University of Manitoba lead Ikirassaaluit Qikiqtaimi (Polynyas of the Belcher Islands): A proposal to support marine conservation efforts for the Qikiqtait. The premise of the project, rooted in the Inuit Knowledge gleaned from generations of hunting and gathering, is that the polynyas of the Belcher Islands are biological hotspots for marine production providing disproportionally high marine services in comparison to other regions of the archipelago. However, a fine balance of environmental controls (e.g., local oceanography and weather as well as riverine input from James Bay) on the polynyas make these areas sensitive to ongoing change, which ultimately will influence their productivity. This project is helping develop monitoring strategies and has commenced directed studies to examine the influence of these environmental controls and their impact on local primary productivity and ocean acidification.