Identifying overwintering habitats used by chars in the Coppermine River basin, NU

Chars (Arctic Char and Dolly Varden Char) are critically important to Nunavummiut, including Kugluktummiut, as a source of food, cultural identity, and community well-being. As large-bodied fish species that make directed movements between freshwater and marine environments, chars also function as important predators and prey in coastal ocean, rivers, streams, and lakes. Several years ago, members of the community in Kugluktuk became concerned that the timing, locations, and abundance of char harvests were changing. In response to a request from the Hunters and Trappers Organization, a partnered research program (partially supported by ArcticNet) was forged to study fish movements and locations; this was complemented by an Inuit-led (IQP program) study on char health. Recent results show that the fishery appears to have changed; historically, we thought that the river was dominated by Arctic Char, but Dolly Varden are now more abundant than Arctic Char. Dolly Varden and Arctic Char use different habitats, and the current research priority is to identify where each species spends the winter, and whether Dolly Varden are more resilient to the rapidly warming water temperatures that have been observed. Identifying habitats and temperatures used by char will allow the community to enact the most informed stewardship and management practices possible; the char fishery in Kugluktuk is managed by the community. Linked with previous results from this established research partnership, as well as recently completed/ongoing work in Ulukhaktok and Cambridge Bay, our work will allow more informed predictions of climate change effects on char migrations and harvests.