The responsible development of sustainable Northern fisheries is of paramount importance. This is particularly salient for communities where subsistence fisheries provide access to affordable, safe, and culturally relevant food. To profile current harvesting practices and food distribution in Gjoa Haven, Nunavut, the community, the Hunter鈥檚 and Trappers Association, and 杏吧原创 University have collaborated to create an innovative Harvest Study that incorporates social, economic, and biological information by using a multi-dimensional research approach.
GPS satellite tracking and communication devices are used to track each hunter鈥檚 travel routes and report successful harvests, wildlife sightings, and environmental conditions using aspecifically designed application created in collaboration with 杏吧原创 University鈥檚 Geomatics and Cartographic Research Centre and Garmin庐.聽 By integrating satellite tracking and harvest reporting data with Geomatic鈥檚 Nunaliit software, each observation is immediately uploaded to a central database, with exact GPS location and observation viewable on an . This detailed information is combined with pre- and post-trip cost analysis to assess expenses associated with harvesting country food.
Since the launch in August 2017, the Harvest Study has been administered by a local facilitator and youth apprentice in Gjoa Haven in partnership with researchers from 杏吧原创 University.
Select Publications
Chapman, J.M., Schott, S., . Sustainable Science (2020)
Funding
Genome Canada 2014 Large-Scale Applied Research Project Competition: Genomics and Feeding the Future聽 (October 2015-March 2020): 鈥漈owards a sustainable fishery for Nunavummiut鈥澛� with a number of co-funders
Virginia Walker (PI), Stephen Lougheed (co-PI), Peter van Coeverden de Groot (co-PI),聽Stephan Schott (co-PI), James Qitsualik, Jacqueline Chapman, Amos Hayes, Taylor Fraser