NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Regions: Inuvialuit Settlement Region

Tags: seaduck, eider, aerial surveys

Objective(s): The main objective is to assess the abundance of Pacific common eiders in the ISR. The primary methodology is aerial surveys during the spring and summer in the eastern Beaufort Sea and the Amundsen Gulf.

Project Description: This licence has been issued for the scientific research application No. 5918. The main objective is to assess the abundance of Pacific common eiders, in the ISR. The primary methodology is aerial surveys during the spring and summer in the eastern Beaufort Sea and the Amundsen Gulf. To accomplish the objectives, a series of aerial surveys have been designed during the spring and summer months to occur over two to three seasons. It is hoped to have three flights per year; the number may vary depending on budget. Spring surveys (late May) will focus on ice flaw leads, counting eiders from offshore north of Tuktoyaktuk to Ulukhaktok. Flights use both fixed-wing aircraft (Twin Otter) and/or single engine helicopter (B-4) flying no lower than 100m at roughly 100 km/hr. Summer surveys (late July to mid August) are similar except it will follow the shoreline, primarily looking for groups of moulting (flightless) eiders. Observations aided by binoculars, continuous recorded commentary, still and video records will be the primary methods used. Posthoc analyses will involve counting all eiders in the photo records and comparing with the live (in situ) records. In person and Zoom discussions on this research have occurred at the following venues: 1) Sept 2023 IGC meeting; 2) Oct 2023 OHTC AGM meeting; 3) Jan 2024 FJMC meeting; and Feb 2024 Paulatuk community meeting and PHTC special meeting. Following data collection and after the data has been summarized, it is intended that the results will be shared with interested communities 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: May 09 - August 05, 2024