Evaluating the Role of Marine-Based Harvesting in Food Security in the Eastern Arctic
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EVALUATING THE ROLE OF MARINE-BASED HARVESTING IN FOOD SECURITY IN THE EASTERN ARCTIC Strategic Environmental Assessment in Baffin Bay and Davis Strait 2 Strategic Environmental Assessment in Baffin Bay and Davis Strait Qikiqtani Inuit Association Qikiqtani Inuit Association Strategic Environmental Assessment in Baffin Bay and Davis Strait 3 QIKIQTANI INUIT ASSOCIATION. 2018. EVALUATING THE ROLE OF MARINE HARVESTING IN FOOD SECURITY IN THE EASTERN ARCTIC. REPORT PREPARED BY IMPACT ECONOMICS FOR SUBMISSION WITH THE BAFFIN BAY AND DAVIS STRAIT STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT. OCTOBER, 2018. 4 Strategic Environmental Assessment in Baffin Bay and Davis Strait Qikiqtani Inuit Association Qikiqtani Inuit Association Strategic Environmental Assessment in Baffin Bay and Davis Strait 5 SUMMARY This investigation is in response to the pairing it with an estimated price based offshore oil and gas development should concludes that offshore oil and gas Nunavut Impact Review Board’s (NIRB) on food price data from 2017 and Nutrition be managed. The report establishes development does not appear to offer Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) North Canada’s food transportation a substitute value for marine-based Inuit much in the way of benefits with in Baffin Bay and Davis Strait for potential subsidies, it was estimated that the annual country food but a new survey is highly the potential to alter the sustainability of oil and gas related development activities. production of char, seal, and whale in the recommended to improve the accuracy of communities by disrupting an important The NIRB wants to understand how this six study area communities is worth $3.3 these estimates and to better inform our food source and by displacing those development might affect food security million, on average. Divided amongst the knowledge of the subsistence economy currently engaged in its production. in affected communities as an indirect 5,700 Inuit residents, this is equal to $580 and how it is changing. The report also effect of a disruption to marine-based of food per person in a year. This valuation harvesting. The communities of Arctic Bay, is made more important by the fact that ASSUMPTIONS AND LIMITATIONS Clyde River, Grise Fjord, Pangnirtung, Pond incomes in Nunavut are amongst the Inlet, and Qikiqtarjuaq are included in this lowest in Canada while food prices are the This report provides an assessment of suggesting changes in the environment study. highest. effects from a potential offshore oil and and in the intensity of harvesting have led gas development. However, a clearly to a reduction in the amount of country Food security exists when all people, at A challenge for this report was to defined project was not completed in time food produced, however, we cannot all times, have physical and economic determine how future offshore oil and for this research. The specific size and confirm this through statistical survey access to sufficient, safe and nutritious gas exploration and development would location of the development are obviously data, nor do know the actual extent of this food to meet their dietary needs and food affect food security. Three areas were critical to the effects assessment. Without decline. preferences for an active and healthy life. identified. The first, as stated, is a loss a specific project from which we could Food security is under threat in Nunavut. of production that can be evaluated base an assessment, this report provides There are assumptions made throughout There are several contributing factors based on the formula used in this report. information on the marine-based the report. All efforts were made to including low employment, minimal job The second is the loss of sharing. Inuit harvesting of char, seal, and whale across state them clearly. Examples include the growth, high dependency ratios, low willingly share country food with their six eastern Arctic communities without average size and edible weight of marine- education levels and graduation rates, extended family, elders, and anyone else knowing the size or extent of disruption. based country food, the average cost of and other geographic and environmental in the community that is unable to hunt meat in the Study Area communities, the challenges. or fish. This system can be described as a The lack of statistical evidence is a capital cost of harvesting equipment, and type of food assistance that operates with limitation for this report. Despite the the rate of depreciation of that equipment. The socio-economic conditions suggest tremendous efficiency where those with critical importance of country food Changing these assumptions would alter that poverty levels are high in Nunavut. more give to those with less. The third harvesting to the sustainability and quality the results of this research, however, we Indeed, the situation would be made area is the displacement of labour. Unlike of life of thousands of Nunavummiut, the do not believe any such changes would worse if it were not for two important other economic opportunities, oil and gas only comprehensive survey on this subject alter the conclusions markedly. contributions. The first is Government of development and especially exploration is the Nunavut Wildlife Harvesting Survey Nunavut’s almost universal public housing does not create a lot of jobs for local conducted 20 years ago. There is evidence program that provides more than half the workers. This has a dual effect whereby territory’s population with shelter. The it has the potential to disrupt harvesting ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS second is the subsistence economy that activities while not creating jobs in the produces a substantial amount of food community. The Qikiqtani Inuit Association (QIA) was instrumental in the data gathering process required that is broadly distributed throughout the for this research. Its management and staff were able to survey households representing community. The purpose of this report was to provide more than 200 residents, collecting data on harvesting production and costs and on sharing. evidence of the contribution made by The authors of this report would like to thank the QIA and all those who participated in the Using country food harvest data collected marine-based harvesting to food security survey. In addition, Heidi Klein (Sanammanga Solutions) made invaluable contributions to over five years from 1996 to 2001 and in order to inform future decisions on how this report through her in depth knowledge of the subject matter. QIKIQTANI CONTENTS INUIT ASSOCIATION 8. INTRODUCTION 11. BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON THE STATE OF FOOD SECURITY IN NUNAVUT 13. FOOD PRICES 16. DEMOGRAPHICS AND RELATED STATISTICS 22. EMPLOYMENT AND INCOME DATA 28. UNDERSTANDING THE ECONOMICS OF MARINE-BASED HARVESTING IN THE STUDY AREA 30. COUNTRY FOOD PRODUCTION 32. VALUE OF THE MARINE-BASED HARVEST 36. COST OF THE MARINE-BASED HARVEST EVALUATING The Qikiqtani Inuit 44. SUBSISTENCE ECONOMY, FOOD SECURITY, AND OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS DEVELOPMENT Association (QIA) is a THE ROLE OF not-for-profit society which 49. CHALLENGES MOVING FORWARD: NEEDED RESEARCH represents approximately 52. REFERENCES 14,000 Inuit in the Qikiqtani MARINE-BASED (Baffin) Region of Nunavut, including 13 communities from Grise Fiord in the High HARVESTING IN Arctic to Sanikiluaq (Belcher Islands) in the southeast of FOOD SECURITY Hudson Bay. IN THE EASTERN ARCTIC 2017-2018 8 Strategic Environmental Assessment in Baffin Bay and Davis Strait Qikiqtani Inuit Association Qikiqtani Inuit Association Strategic Environmental Assessment in Baffin Bay and Davis Strait 9 INTRODUCTION This report provides research results regarding the economic contribution of The NIRB wants to understand how oil and gas exploration and development might marine-based country food harvesting as it relates to food security in six Nunavut affect food security as an indirect effect flowing from a disruption to or reduction of communities including Arctic Bay, Clyde River, Grise Fjord, Pangnirtung, Pond Inlet, harvesting abilities. The effects assessment should consider: and Qikiqtarjuaq. Collectively, these make up the Study Area communities. • Disturbances to traditional harvesting activities, areas of importance to Inuit, The investigation is in response to the Nunavut Impact Review Board’s (NIRB) Strategic and migration routes; Environmental Assessment (SEA) in Baffin Bay and Davis Strait for potential oil and gas • Disturbances to food security through changes to harvesting activities and related development activities. In the Final Scope List, NIRB identifies the following species availability, and through species ingesting contaminants; Valued Socio-Economic Components be considered: • Conflict with other types of land use (including Aboriginal and Traditional fisheries, commercial fisheries, marine shipping, cultural and travel routes, and tourism activities); Listing of NIRB’s Valued Socio-Economic Components To investigate this question, one must start with a basic understanding of food security related to Food Security and the role of marine-based harvesting in providing food to the residents of these communities. It is understood that the original inhabitants of the Study Area are Wellbeing and health of coastal communities reliant on this food source. The question is how reliant are they? Can this reliance be quantified? And, could monetary gains from industrial activity offset losses in local food For the Qikiqtani region, with focus on the potentially interested communities: production?