NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Regions: Inuvialuit Settlement Region

Tags: climate change, food security, climate change adaptation, Inuit calendar, Seasonal harvesting

Objective(s): To create offline and online versions of a calendar to inform community-based subsistence fishing activities and their relationship to climate change. To provide a mitigation tool for community-based subsistence fishing by providing key information linking environmental conditions to subsistence harvesting and how to adapt to potential changes and inter-annual differences as well as guidance for researchers on how to link traditional knowledge with climate model downscaling efforts. To develop a film about the making, content, and usage of the calendar.

Project Description: This licence has been issued for the scientific research application No. 6095. 1. Continued discussions around the static calendar in order to assess potential future changes of species and subsistence activities. This will expand the communication and teaching tool within the community (elder-youth connection) (year 1) 2. A website/social media platform providing a) an online version of the calendar, b) links to selected and approved interview extracts and c) modelling results highlighting trends and projections impacting subsistence fisheries in the region (year 1 & 2). 3. A community booklet and a journal article describing the calendar tool and how it can link climate change and subsistence fisheries. (year 1). These 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 adapt to potential changes and inter-annual differences as well as guidance for researchers on how to link traditional knowledge with climate model downscaling efforts. 4. Develop a film describing the making, content and usage of the calendar. a) A shareable static calendar has been provided in form of posters and large floor decals. The latter have been installed in the community hall and school. This material will be compiled into a booklet for easier use, particularly by elders. b) Existing semi-directed interviews and workshops' materials will be reviewed for use in a film to assess what additional material and filming are required. A professional film maker is expected to support the filming and film-making. c) Climate model downscaling information will be communicated to the participants for discussions on how they might change the calendar. Climate change impacts the environmental conditions driving species arrival, abundance, 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 calendar and associated information will be shared through a website/social media tailored to local youth with input from educators at the Helen Kalvak school. d) The academic journal article will be reviewed by the community lead and OHTC representative. Contents will also be included in the Canadian Changing Climate Report (approved by the IGC). TK will continue to guide and drive the project. The OHTC and community members, including elders, will be participating at all stages of the project through discussions, providing content and will review the product(s) at all their development stages. - Any products will be compiled into a package and provided to the OHTC, the IGC and the Inuvialuit Joint Secretariat for safe-guarding - Any online material and dynamic calendar will be reviewed for online publication by participating community members and the OHTC. Online communication of the static calendar was already approved by the OHTC provided that disclaimer and acknowledgements are clearly listed - 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, 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 ARI - Presentations with updates will be provided annually to the IGC and FJMC - The finalized film will be developed with the OHTC and presented to the community following OHTC approval. - All final products will be presented through a community gathering. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from: February 04 - December 31, 2025