PROJECTS

Baker Lake - Habitat Restoration

The CRN advisor, in collaboration and consultation with the Qamani'tuaq Hunters and Trappers Association (HTA), designed a habitat restoration plan for Baker Lake, mirroring the approach adopted by Qikiqtarjuaq. The HTA identified several sites used by hunters and trappers around the Baker Lake area that were deemed a priority for restoration. The proposed location of each site was such that removal of debris needed to be done manually. The Board indicated four boats would be required for a period of five days. It was also determined that 12 HTA members would be needed to carry out the manual work of removing debris. The project was completed in June 2022.

Clyde river - Restoration Project

The community of Clyde River is a small hamlet located on the northern shore of Patricia Bay, Baffin Island in the Qikiqtaaluk Region of Nunavut. The mouth of the Clyde River enters the bay to the east of the community. Infrastructure associated with former mining activity in the area included a road that crossed the river approximately 2,000m upriver from its mouth. The road consists of boulder rip rap that was placed within the river to reduce water depth and allow traffic to cross. 

The abandoned crossing remained within the river, restricting natural flows and increasing water velocities that negatively impacted the run of Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus). Local residents state that returning char are challenged by the high velocities and remain below the obstruction until lower flows occur. A remediation plan was established in collaboration with the Nangmautaq Hunters and Trappers Organization (HTO), removing the remaining obstruction within the river and returning the flows to a more natural condition. 

CORAL HARBOUR - Restoration Project

A rockslide occurred on Canyon River and the community of Coral Harbour wished to remove boulders from the area to free the channel. According to IQ, the rockslide resulted in less fish in the lakes. Fish experienced difficulty going upstream to spawn in the two lakes furthest away from the coast. A river enhancement project will allow the river to provide adequate passage to the lakes where fish habitat has been most affected. Commercial fishing for arctic char occurs in the lakes as well as year-round subsistence fishing, but due to the rockslide, fishing sites are difficult to access. Harvesters also hunt seals and beluga there. 

Restoration of the river began in spring 2020. Six harvesters from the Aiviq HTO travelled to the site by snowmobile (which is approximately 150 km from the community), transporting all equipment by qamutik. Boulders were removed manually using drills and hammers. Follow-up work will begin in spring 2021.

Winter Harvesting Improvements in Iqaluit

At a meeting held with the Amaruq HTA in March 2021, board members highlighted the importance of the subsistence winter fishery and the need to train youth to set nets safely and sustainably. Ghost nets, from lost, discarded or abandoned nets, are a major issue. The Amaraq HTA wanted to reduce the number of ghost nets in Iqaluit waters by providing nets with built-in retrieval mechanisms and training members how to use them. Ice crawlers are used to set fishing nets in the lake during the winter. They are lowered through a hole in the ice, then attached to a rope and made to crawl under the ice running the entire length of the net and pulled through another hole in the ice at the other end of the net. A locator device guarantees retrieval of each net, significantly reducing the likelihood of ghost nets during the winter fishery.

KITIKMEOT REGION - Restoration Projects

The communities of Kugluktuk, Taloyoak and Kugaaruk requested assistance with a community-wide net exchange. All of the communities identified the need for strategic fishing methods to support the health and sustainability of the subsistence char fishery, which is mostly fished by gill net. To conduct a net exchange, fishers exchange old nets with nets of a larger mesh size. One objective of the mesh size approach is to influence the sustainable yield over the long-term life of the fishery. Other objectives are to protect juvenile fish from capture, and to try to ensure that sufficient fish survive to maturity.

A successful net exchange was first implemented by the community of Kugluktuk in the nineties to prevent high stock exploitation and a potential recruitment failure due to diminished maturity and size of the overall stock.

QIKIQTARJUAQ - RESTORATION PROJECT

The community of Qikiqtarjuaq requested support to improve the shoreline habitat for target species and the health of the wider ecosystem, which in turn would improve access to key harvesting sites, cultural activities and subsistence food sources. The Nattivak HTO identified five sites that were deemed a priority for restoration and debris removal, with 12 community members and four boats leading the work. Many residents emphasized the importance of minimizing any impacts that would negatively affect the Arctic char population in the surrounding rivers and lakes, given the role of the fish as a key food for the community.

In English

In Inuktitut