Sanikiluaq - ᓴᓂᑭᓗᐊᖅ

Sanikiluaq is located on the northern tip of Flaherty Island, about 150 kilometers off the west coast of Nunavik, Quebec. It is the southern-most Hamlet in Nunavut. Integrated with wage-based activities, hunting and fishing are crucial economic activities that support the traditional lifestyle of the community. Important species are ringed seal, bearded seal, beluga, polar bear, mussels, arctic char, caribou, and eider ducks. The community’s hunting and fishing area covers approximately 400 km north to south, and 550 km east to west.

The CRN research team visited the community in March 2018. Team members held participatory mapping workshops with the Hunters and Trappers Association, Hamlet staff, Elders, and other resource users, collecting observations on coastal health and changing coastal conditions. Participants provided all data illustrated on this map.

Coastal issues included: seaweeds and cod are no longer in abundance along the shore. Sea cucumbers are also turning white, and sea urchins are developing without spikes. Other changes included more brittle ice during winter, and the behavior of marine mammals, such as belugas, as they do not come close to the community now.

Community coastal restoration priorities included: the construction of a new fence at the dump to decrease contaminants in surrounding marine and terrestrial areas; an investigation as to why seaweeds and cod are disappearing along the coastline; and research on echinoderm health to ensure long-term subsistence harvest.

To learn more about Sanikiluaq (English version), please download our research profile here. If you would like to view the Inuktitut version of our research profile, please download here.

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