NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Regions: Inuvialuit Settlement Region

Tags: aquatic ecosystems, biology, marine animals, ringed seal, animal diet

Objective(s): To design and maintain a long-term, locally-based, diet and condition data collection program focused on ringed seals (Pusa hispida) and bearded seals (Erignathus barbatus) in the Darnley Bay, Sachs Harbour and Ulukhaktok areas of the Inuvialuit Settlement Region.

Project Description: This licence has been issued for the scientific research application No.5558. The goal of this project is to design and maintain a long-term, locally-based, diet and condition data collection program focused on ringed seals (Pusa hispida) and bearded seals (Erignathus barbatus) in the Darnley Bay, Sachs Harbour, and Ulukhaktok areas of the Inuvialuit Settlement Region, NT. To accomplish the objectives, the team has designed a program to work with the local communities of Paulatuk, Sachs Harbour, and Ulukhaktok in order to collect data on diet and condition of harvested bearded and ringed seals. Sampling in Paulatuk occurs mostly in the summer and fall, although can occassionallyoccasionally occur in the winter as well. Sampling in Sachs Harbour is managed by a Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) long-term contaminants study. ECCC will provide the research team’s samples from the same seals they process. Sampling in Ulukhaktok takes place opportunistically in the fall, winter, and spring times in order to augment but not repeat the existing Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO)-led long-term seal monitoring in this area. The sampling protocol is based on previous and ongoing seal sampling methodologies used by DFO in order for the data to be as informative as possible. Diet/condition sampling is conducted in three basic onsite stages: (1) recording contextual data; (2) condition measurements; and (3) sample collection for post-processing. The context data involves: (1) time and by whom the seal was brought in; (2) time and location the seal was taken; (3) species; and (4) any extra circumstantial information noted by the hunter (e.g. seal was hauled out when taken). Condition measurements, conducted immediately by the monitor will include: 1) whole animal weight; 2) length (nose to extended tail flippers) and girth (circumference measured at the posterior attachment point of both foreflippers); 3) blubber thickness (measured at the sternum); 4) sex (as indicated by the presence/absence of a penile aperture); and 5) external full body check for abnormalities (e.g. hair loss). Any abnormalities detected are to be photographed. After the condition measurements are completed, samples will be taken for post-processing. The first of these is the stomach sample to infer diet. The entire stomach is to be removed and immediately stored (iced and then frozen) for processing at a later time with other stomachs. Samples will each be immediately sealed in a labeled bag (seal #; species; date; location). When stomach samples are processed, the stomach will be examined for parasites or other abnormalities in addition to diet. Whole seals as well as any abnormalities are photographed. Tissue and/or blood samples will also be taken at the same time in order to conduct further analyses of diet (e.g. fatty acid and/or stable isotope) and pathology (virus exposure) and to estimate ages of individual seals. Tissue collection is likely to include: 1) liver sample for toxicology and genetics; 2) tissue, vibrissae and possibly blood for corticosterone (diet stress), disease, and stable isotope analysis; and 3) canine teeth for aging. The optimal and minimal size of each of these samples, and the best storage techniques (e.g. alcohol, DMSO, frozen) are to be determined at the time for the specific needs. Samples will be stored until processed. In sum, sampling of seal diet and condition across the ISR can be a valuable tool as an environmental indictor if carried out in a methodologically rigorous and consistent manner. This is especially true to monitor and manage Marine Protected Areas (MPA) such as the Anguniaqvia Niqiqyuam MPA and is important on a year-round basis. To be most effective, such a program needs to be long-term, self-sustaining, and standardized with other similar efforts in the ISR and beyond. The results are expected to provide valuable and timely information that is likely to be important for responding to ecosystem change in the long term and informative to hunters and their families consuming seals in the immediate time frame. Following data collection and after the data has been summarized, the research team intends to share the results with the community during open HTC meetings whenever possible. The results are also to be shared with the wider ISR community during IGC and FJMC meetings each year. In addition, regular communications are expected via internet (e.g. email) and telephone and during other annual meetings attended by ISR community members (e.g. the BSP and ArcticNet meetings). The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from July 20, 2023 to December 31, 2023.