Arctic Council

05/12/2025 | News release | Distributed by Public on 05/12/2025 02:20

The Custodians of the Pikialasorsuaq

In winter, fractures in the polynya's weak ice offer breathing holes for marine mammals like belugas and narwhals. And when the sun returns, the spring light fuels a phytoplankton bloom, providing a feast for one of the world's largest spring migrations of walruses, seals, polar bears, belugas, narwhals and bowhead whales. The polynya also serves as a feeding and breeding ground for millions of seabirds.

For generations, the Pikialasorsuaq has been a vital hunting ground for Inuit, providing food and resources that have shaped traditions and ways of life on both sides of the polynya. Additionally, the northern ice bridge has served as a transportation route, fostering strong ties between Inuit communities in Canada and Greenland.

The Pikialasorsuaq under pressure

Yet, the Pikialasorsuaq is under pressure. Environmental changes including rising temperatures make the polynya less stable and, as the shielding ice disappears, it faces greater impacts from industry as it becomes more accessible to shipping, fisheries, tourism and mining. With less predictable polynya formation, changes in plankton blooms, melting glaciers, eroding shorelines and increased commercial activities, the polynya's unique ecosystem and the Inuit livelihoods it has supported for millennia face an uncertain future.

"Our patterns have changed due to the climate change impacts we see today. Inuit on both sides recognize that it's becoming increasingly difficult to access the polynya because of these changes. Shifting sea ice has altered the way we travel through the region, significantly affecting our lifestyle and culture," shared Richard Paton, Assistant Executive Director at the Qikiqtani Inuit Association.

The Pikialasorsuaq Commission

Recognizing the significance of this area for Inuit, ICC established the ICC Pikialasorsuaq Commission in 2016. The Commission was formed as a three-year project aimed at producing recommendations for an Inuit strategy for safeguarding and monitoring the health of the polynya for future generations. An important part of its mandate was to consult Inuit communities closely connected to the Pikialasorsuaq in both Greenland and Canada, who have lived in the region and managed its resources for generations.

"As the eyes and ears of the region, Inuit are witnessing the changes in the Pikialasorsuaq daily. We have observed changes in sea ice, snow conditions and the distribution and behavior of marine mammals. We've also noticed new species or sub-species entering our waters," said Paton.

From the consultations, four main themes of concern and action emerged: the uncertain impacts of climate change and their consequences, the importance of food security and subsistence for both physical and mental well-being, the risks and opportunities posed by increased development in the region, and military activities in the area.

Arctic Council published this content on May 12, 2025, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on May 12, 2025 at 08:20 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at support@pubt.io