SCIENCE
Can Arctic Char adapt
to a changing North?
Arctic Char (Salvelinus alpinus), one of the most interesting freshwater fish species in Canada, is an important
cultural, subsistence, and economic resource for inhabitants of Canada’s Arctic. Arctic Char are prized for their
tasty flesh and have provided an important food resource for Inuit communities for centuries. Historically,
harvesting occurred at stream mouths, in shallow streams, or below small waterfalls during char migrations from
sea to freshwater. The Canadian Arctic Expedition (1913 to 1916) observed large harvests of char by the Copper Inuit
at Bernard Harbour (Nulahugyuk) in the Coronation Gulf. Inuit-constructed rock weirs were observed near the
mouth of Nulahugyuk Creek to direct char into rock traps where they could be easily speared using a ‘kakivak’.
The extent to which small Arctic streams,
such as Nulahugyuk Creek, are important
for present day char populations is poorly
understood. It is known that char are limited to
specific freshwater habitats and the successful
journey to and through the freshwater habitat
is vulnerable to changes in water levels. The
timing of migrations would be expected to be
specific to, and synced with, local climates and
flow regimes.
The char population at Bernard Harbour is
particularly unique in that the population relies
on a small watercourse to connect the foodrich marine environment to the freshwater
spawning and wintering lake (Hingittok Lake).
The spawning population migrates from the
ocean to the lake in early summer rather than
continuing to forage in the ocean until late
An Arctic Char navigates the shallow water of Nulahugyuk Creek. © P. Vecsei, Golder Associates Ltd, for Sabina Gold & Silver Corp.
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SCIENCE
Traditional Knowledge
and science describe
char as a remarkably
adaptable species,
inhabiting waters
farther north than any
other freshwater fish,
and displaying diverse
behaviours, body forms,
and habitat selection
across their range.
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summer like other populations in the region.
Adults then spawn later that fall, overwinter in
the lake, and return to the ocean in spring
when the creek is ice-free and flows are
highest. They do not spawn every year, and
during a non-spawning year, the Nulahugyuk
Creek char overwinter in the Coppermine River,
as discovered using information collected during
a tagging study by the Kugluktuk Hunters and
Trappers Organization.
Why would spawning adults not use the
predictable conditions in the nearby Coppermine River to access spawning lakes instead of
Nulahugyuk Creek? The simple answer could
be that the reproductive benefits of Hingittok
Lake outweigh the potential risks of failing
to reach the lake or dying on their journey.
However, the char run at Bernard Harbour has
declined markedly since the 1980s, according
to residents of the nearby Hamlet of Kugluktuk.
Low returns have been particularly evident in
recent years and are thought to be the result
of several related factors, including climate
change and resulting low water in the creek.
A reduction in flow, for example, exposes
barriers, increases the likelihood of mortality by
stranding, increases exposure to the elements
and predators such as gulls and bears, and causes
various physiological stresses. This is the reality
for char struggling to navigate Nulahugyuk Creek,
and has been the subject of recent investigations by a unique partnership led by the local
community (Kugluktuk Hunters and Trappers
Organization), private sector, and industry in an
effort to provide a ‘made in the North’ solution
to conserve this historically significant fishery.
The close proximity of historical Inuit settlements to char waters in the North highlights an
important connection to the land that remains
strong today. Indeed, both Traditional Knowledge
and science describe char as a remarkably
adaptable species, inhabiting waters farther
Arrival at Bernard Harbour with first load of gear for research program.
© P. Vecsei, Golder Associates Ltd, for Sabina Gold & Silver Corp.
A B OV E & B E YO N D — C A N A DA’ S A RC T I C J O U R N A L
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SCIENCE
Inuit running to fish for salmon at Nulahugyuk Creek,
Northwest Territories (Nunavut).
© Diamond Jenness, Canadian Museum of History, 37078.
north than any other freshwater fish, and
displaying diverse behaviours, body forms, and
habitat selection across their range. As for
other species in the North, climate change
means new challenges for migrating char, and
although some local populations may adapt to
such change, others may not.
The North is one of the final frontiers in
biology in Canada where new expeditions will
certainly yield new discoveries. Research in
remote locations in the Arctic brings with it
logistical and financial challenges; with perseverance, as the Bernard Harbour char are
demonstrating, inhospitable conditions and long
distances can be overcome. Efforts are underway to combine current data with historical
records and Traditional Knowledge, which will
hopefully lead to successful management and
conservation of this remarkable species.
Cam Stevens
The North is one of the final frontiers in biology
in Canada where new expeditions will certainly
yield new discoveries.
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