NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Regions: Inuvialuit Settlement Region

Tags: subsistence, harvest, fisheries

Objective(s): To develop a static calendar in print and on the website indicating current timings of species and subsistence activities and to provide a mitigation tool for community-based subsistence fishing by providing key information linking environmental conditions to subsistence harvesting and how to react to potential changes and inter-annual differences.

Project Description: This licence has been issued for the scientific research application No.5451. Objectives are to develop: 1) A static calendar in print and on the website indicating current timings of species and subsistence activities. Online version will be linked with selected extracts of the interviews. This will provide a communication and teaching tool within the community (elder-youth connection); 2) A Website providing an online version of the calendar, links to selected and approved interview extracts and modelling results highlighting trends and projections impacting subsistence fisheries in the region; 3) A Dynamic calendar – an adjustable calendar that can take into account climate change driven changes in species appearance and associated subsistence fishing; 4) A Journal article describing the calendar tool and how it can link climate change and subsistence fisheries. The final products are expected to provide a mitigation tool for community-based subsistence fishing by providing key information linking environmental conditions to subsistence harvesting and how to react to potential changes and inter-annual differences. Several participants will develop a draft for an Inuvialuit calendar, indicating the various seasons and related relevant information for fishing and marine mammal harvesting. Phase 1: Produce a shareable static calendar within the next year. This will involve a draft design by social scientist and graphics designer, Mark Stoller, and subsequent online and in-person meetings with all participants to finalize the design and content. Existing traditional knowledge interviews will be reviewed to assess if additional interviews are required. Climate model downscaling information will be communicated to the participants for discussions on how they might change the calendar. The calendar and associated information will be shared through a website and the calendar will be printed for distribution in the community. Phase2: Development of a dynamic calendar. Climate change impacts the environmental conditions driving species arrival, abundance and location and harvesting time. The team will be discussing how the calendar can be adjusted to reflect these changes and communicate impacts on harvesting. The dynamic calendar is expected to be an online tool. The project has been initiated as part of the traditional knowledge component of an earlier project. Traditional knowledge will continue to guide and drive the project. Community members including elders will be participating at all stages of the project through discussions, providing content and will review the product(s) at various development stages. Any data (maps, interview transcripts, quotes) will be collated and provided to the Hunters and Trappers Committee (HTC) for safe-guarding. The final draft static calendar will be shared with the HTC and participating community members for approval, once approved printed versions will be distributed as directed by the HTC and online version made available. Any online material and dynamic calendar will need to be pre-approved for online publication by participating community members and the HTC. A publication describing the calendar tool and how it can provide linkages between climate change and subsistence fisheries will be compiled as collaboration among the local team in the community, Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) and the university participants. Any published or printed material will be attached to annual reports to the HTC, Inuvialuit Game Council (IGC), Fisheries Joint Management Council (FJMC) and the Aurora Research Institute. Presentations with updates will be provided annually to the IGC and FJMC The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from February 16, 2023 to June 21, 2023.