People of the Ice Bridge: the future of the Pikialasorsuaq.

Abstract

Kalaallisut (West Greenlandic) name for the North Water polynya shared by Canada and Greenland. Polynyas are areas of open water that remain ice-free throughout the winter due to ocean and wind currents. They are incredibly rich, diverse areas teaming with marine life, in part as a result of the upwelling of nutrient-rich waters. The Pikialasorsuaq is the largest polynya in the Arctic and the most biologically productive region north of the Arctic Circle. This ecosystem has supported Inuit for millennia and is central to Inuit hunting and harvesting. Inuit on both the Canadian and Greenlandic sides of the Pikialasorsuaq have recognized the area as critical habitat for many migratory species upon which they depend for their food security as well as cultural and spiritual connections. In short, the health of the Pikialasorsuaq directly influences the health and well-being of Inuit communities in the Pikialasorsuaq region. The Pikialasorsuaq is seriously threatened by rapid change in the region including climatic and environmental change, increased shipping activities, tourism, oil and gas exploration and development. In recent years, the northern ice bridge in Kane Basin that influences the formation of the polynya has become less stable and as a result, the polynya less defined. The consequences of this change, linked to larger climatic shifts, are widely unknown. With the awareness that this special ecosystem is at risk, the Inuit Circumpolar Council (ICC) initiated the Pikialasorsuaq Commission. This Inuit-led Commission was mandated to conduct consultations in communities in Nunavut, Canada and Greenland that are closely connected to the Pikialasorsuaq. Through these consultations Inuit who have occupied the region and managed its resources for generations voiced their vision for the future of this polynya and adjacent waters. In Canada, the Commission met with Inuit in Aujuittuq (Grise Fiord), Qausuittuq (Resolute Bay), Ikpiarjuk (Arctic Bay), Mittimatalik (Pond Inlet), and Kangiqtugaapik (Clyde River), and on the Greenlandic side they met with Inuit in Siorapaluk, Qaanaaq, Savissivik, Kullorsuaq, Nuussuaq and Upernavik. In speaking to the people in these communities, the Commission sought local and Indigenous knowledge to guide the recommendations for an Inuit strategy on safeguarding, monitoring, and managing the health of Pikialasorsuaq for future generations. Each community emphasized that Inuit who live in the region are best placed to monitor and manage the region. These communities want to set and lead the research agenda, study the indicators of change, and establish realistic hunting regulations that will continue to sustain their communities. Further, Inuit on both sides are expressing a strong desire for free movement, once again, across the Pikialasorsuaq and increased cooperation to arrive at a common vision for shared resources and Inuit-led management of the area. Similar concerns over increased tourism, shipping, fishing, resource exploration, and seismic testing were heard on both sides. Communities insisted that any activity in the Pikialasorsuaq must not threaten the sustainability of the Pikialasorsuaq and its wildlife. Most emphatically, Inuit want to rebuild a collective Inuit caretaking regime for the polynya, between Inuit communities in Canada and Greenland. This report is based on the wealth of information from Inuit across the Pikialasorsuaq region and outlines three recommendations: 1. Establishment of a management regime, with a management authority led by Inuit representatives from communities in the Pikialasorsuaq region, an Inuit Management Authority (IMA). The management authority should establish a framework for regulating activities, including transportation, shipping, and off-shore industrial development. This regime will ensure the monitoring and conservation of living resources within and adjacent to the Pikialasorsuaq and the related health of communities that depend on these resources.1 2. Identification, in consultation with the communities in and adjacent to the Pikialasorsuaq, of a protected area comprised of the polynya itself and including a larger management zone that reflects the connection between communities , their natural resources, and the polynya. This management zone should be formed by Inuit in agreement with all parties, formally recognized by governments, and monitored and managed by Inuit to support the Inuit vision of a working seascape. Assigning a designation for a management zone in the Pikialasorsuaq has the potential to usher in a broader, more meaningful set of northern benefits and bring definition to the idea of a conservation economy for Inuit. 3. Establishment of a free travel zone for Inuit across the Pikialasorsuaq region. Inuit who live and use the Pikialasorsuaq must be recognized and respected as leaders in ensuring the protection of this area. Inuit want to ensure the viability of this important marine region for generations to come. The Commission also recommends the creation of an Indigenous Protected Area or IPA, along the lines of that created in Australia, to support the Inuit vision of a working seascape. An Indigenous Protected Area is a class of protected area used in Australia formed by agreement with Indigenous Australians, declared by Indigenous Government as being part of its National Reserve System. Such a designation in the Pikialasorsuaq has the potential to usher in a broader, more meaningful set of northern benefits and bring definition to the idea of a conservation economy for Inuit. The recommendations of the Commission are an opportunity for Canada and Greenland to take part in reformulating relationships between governments and the Indigenous people they represent. Further information including photos, technical background documents and testimonies may be accessed at www.pikialasorsuaq.org as well information can be found on the Pikialasorsuaq Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/pikialasorsuaq). Direct communication is welcome through the Commissioners Okalik Eegeesiak (chair@inuitcircumpolar.com), Kuupik Kleist (kvk@ggnuuk.gl), Eva Aariak (eva.aariak@gmail. com), or through the technical advisors Stephanie Meakin (smeakin@inuitcircumpolar.com) or Alfred Jakobsen (aerj58@gmail.com). The consultative process was an important first step in protecting the Pikialasorsuaq region but more remains to be done. Moving forward, the next steps include: - Initiating the development of an agreement between Canada and Greenland through the appropriate municipalities, villages, hamlets and relevant organizations including Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. (NTI), Qikiqitani Inuit Association (QIA), and the Government of Nunavut (GN), local KNAPK offices, ICC Greenland and ICC Canada towards implementation of these recommendations. - Formalizing an Inuit Management Authority (IMA) and its terms of reference recognizing the Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) of all communities, which will be mandated to manage activities in the marine environment that impact the Pikialasorsuaq; and, - Creating a management plan including an Inuit-led monitoring program.