NIRB Uuktuutinga Ihivriuqhikhamut #125328 Movement and habitat use of anadromous Arctic Char (Salvelinus alpinus) and Dolly Varden (Salvelinus malma) near Kugluktuk, Nunavut Uuktuutinga Qanurittuq: New Havaap Qanurittunia: Scientific Research Uuktuutinga Ublua: 4/9/2018 11:34:02 AM Period of operation: from 0001-01-01 to 0001-01-01 Piumayaat Angirutinga: from 0001-01-01 to 0001-01-01 Havauhikhaq Ikayuqtinga: Swanson Lab University of Waterloo Department of Biology, ESC 350, 200 University Ave. W Waterloo Ontario N2L3G1 Canada Hivayautit Nampanga:: 9023172992, Kayumiktukkut Nampanga:: QANURITTUT Tukihiannaqtunik havaariyauyumayumik uqauhiuyun Qablunaatitut: Please see Non-Technical Project Proposal, attached in Documents, for English and Inuinnaqtun versions. Char are a key source of food in Inuit communities, and the Coppermine River has historically supported an important subsistence char fishery for the community of Kugluktuk. Since 2015, the Kugluktuk Hunters and Trappers Organization (HTO) and community members have observed a sharp decline in the fall run of migratory char, and the cause of this decline is unknown. The land is rising in relation to sea level in the Canadian Arctic, due to a process called isostatic rebound. This, combined with climate change, is resulting in lower stream flows which can hinder migratory fish such as char when they move from their spawning, rearing, and overwinter habitats in freshwater to their summer feeding habitats at sea. Kugluktuk community members have observed and expressed concern about fish stranding. However, neither local fishers nor scientists know where char spawn and overwinter in the Coppermine River or adjacent tributary lakes, so it is unknown whether fish strandings are resulting in the decline observed in the fishery. Through this project, the Swanson Lab at the University of Waterloo, in collaboration with the Kugluktuk HTO, will determine the migratory patterns and overwintering habitat of Arctic char. The study will focus on the waters near Kugluktuk, including the Coppermine (which passes through Kugluk Territorial Park), Rae, Richardson, and Kugaryuak Rivers, as well as Coronation Gulf. Project activities will begin in July 2018 and continue to October 2020, with approximately 45 days of fieldwork each year. The field team will be ten persons – four researchers and six community members, selected by the Kugluktuk HTO. Transportation to field sites will be by helicopter for approximately 20 hours each year. The remaining work will be done by HTO boat or by ATV to accessible sites near Kugluktuk. Tracking fish movement and habitat use will be done by capturing and tagging fish. Fish will be caught by a combination of netting (checked every hour so there are no fish mortalities) and angling. Fish will be immobilized using clove oil or a low electrical current, so they can be safely consumed if caught by humans or wildlife immediately following recovery. Two types of tags will be used: 13 satellite tags and 95 acoustic tags. The satellite tags will be attached externally to fish in July/August 2018. These tags will be programmed to detach from the fish after they have reached their overwintering habitat in late September 2018. The information from these tags will identify overwintering habitat and also help determine the most effective locations for the acoustic receivers. Half the 95 acoustic tags will be surgically implanted into fish in 2018, and the rest will be deployed in 2019. Twenty receivers will be installed in July 2018, and will record when a tagged fish passes within range, providing information on timing and locations of char migration. Fourteen of the receivers will be placed in shallow, river environments and will be retrieved in September of each year of the project and redeployed the following summer. The remaining six receivers will be placed in deeper lake or marine environments and will stay installed for the duration of the project. Receivers will be anchored using 5-gallon buckets filled with concrete, which will be removed at the end of the project so there are no materials remaining on site. Fish habitat use can also be determined by measuring the chemistry of otoliths (fish ear bones) and comparing the results to water chemistry. Water samples will be taken from areas around Kugluktuk that are identified as important habitat for char. Otoliths will be collected from fish caught for food by subsistence harvesters in Kugluktuk. Fin clips will also be collected from harvesters at the same time as the otoliths. DNA from the fin clips will be analyzed at the University of Waterloo to verify the species of char found in the Coppermine River and surrounding watersheds. At present, there are at least two known species of char in the Coppermine River – Lake char (Salvelinus namaycush) and Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus). Northern Dolly Varden char (Salvelinus malma malma) are a federal species at risk, and there is some evidence that they may also be present in the area. Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit (Inuit knowledge) will be compiled from existing sources and interviews with knowledge holders conducted through the Kugluktuk HTO, on topics such as identification of streams with low flow and fish stranding, historically important char areas, and observed changes in char habitat use and migration. Inuit knowledge will be combined with scientific results from this project, and together the two knowledge systems will identify priority sites for coastal restoration of migratory char habitats, to be conducted in a project following the completion of this research project. Uiviititut: Not included, as project solely surrounding Kugluktuk, in the Kitikmeot region. Inuktitut: Not included, as project solely surrounding Kugluktuk, in the Kitikmeot region. Inuinnaqtun: Please see Non-Technical Project Proposal, attached in Documents, for English and Inuinnaqtun versions. Iqalukpiit niqigiyauluaqtut Inuinaqnit nunagiyauyuni, Quqluqtumilu Kuuk taimanit atuqniqatiaqtumik inujutauyunik iqalukpikhiuqviuvluni nunagiyauyumik Quqluqtumik. 2015-mit, Quqluqtumi Agunahuaqtit Naniriaqtuqtilu Timiuyuq (HTO) nunagiyauyumilu inuit takuhimaliqtut ikikligaalaknignik ukiakhami mayuraqtut iqalukpiit, huuqlu ikiklivalianiganik ukua qauyimayaugitut.Nuna kigikhivaliayuq taqyumit Kanataup Ukiuqtaqtuani, pijutauyumik hikuhimainaqnigit auktuqpalianiganit. Una, atautikut hilaap aalaguqpalianigalu, pijutauyuq immaiqtiniginik kuunuit ihuilijutaulaaqmat ataayunik iqaluknik Iqalukpiktut igliqmiknit, iqalukpiaqyuqaqviinit, ukiumilu kitpaavigiyait tattini auyami niriniaqviinut taqyumi. Quqluqtumi nunagiyauyumi ilauyut takuhimayut ihumaluutiqaqhutiklu Iqaluit naktiqniginik. Kihiani, kituliqaa nunagiyauyumi iqalukhiuqtit naunaiyaiyiluniit qauyimaginmata humi iqlukpiit igliqaqmataa ukiumilu humugauniginik Quqluqtumi Kuukmi hanianiluniit tattini,qauyimayauginmat Iqaluit naktinigit pijutaukmagaa ikiklivalianiginut ikalukhiuqtinit.Uvuuna havaakut, Swanson-kut Ilituqhaivia Ilihaqpaaliqvikmi Waterloo-mi, havaqatigilugit Quqluqtumi HTO-kut, naunaiqniaquq qanuq aulaniginik ukiumilu nunagiyait Iqalukpiit. Ilituqhaut ihumagiyaqaqluaqniaqtuq immaqnik haniani Quqluqtuup, Kuuklu (kugaq igilrayuq Quqluq-mi Ukiuqtaqtumi Minguiqhiqvikut), Rae- kut, Richardson-kut, Kuqaqyuakulu, Kiiliniuqlu Ahiavlu Taqyuagut.Havaami hulijutit atuliqniaqtut July-mi 2018-mi atuqhimaqlutiklu October-mut 2020-mi, qanituani 45 ubluut maniqami havakviuyut ukiutuaraagat. Maniqami havaktut (4) quliuniaqtut – hitamat ilituqhaiyit sisilu (6) nunagiyauyumi ilauyut, tikuaqniariat Quqluqtumi HTO-kunit. Aularutiginiaqtaat maniqamut hanikaptak qanituani 20 ikaaqniit ukiutuaraagat. Amiakuit havaariniaqtait HTO-kut qayaanut ATV-kuluniit tikilaaqtainut nunanik haniani Quqluqtuup.Naunaiyaqnigit Iqaluit aulaniginut nunagiyailu aguyuavakniaqut atataliqtuqlugilu. Iqalukpakniaqtut kuvyaqtuqlutik (kuvyiqiyauvakniaqut iqaaqniq naatkagat Iqaluit tuqugitaagani) iqaqhaqlutiklu. Iqaluit igutaalaiyaqtauniaqut atuqlutit clove-nit uqhuit quaqhalaaqtilugiluniit mikiyunuamik, aaniaqnaitumik niriyauyaaganilu iqaluktaukpata inuknit umayuniluniit kiguani aularikhitaaqata. Malruuk atatakhak atuqtauniaqtuk: 13-guyut qilainaqtuqhiurutinut nainaiyalaanik 95- guyut tuuqhunuatut itunik atataqnik. Qilainaqtuqhiurutinut naunaiyalaat atatait iliyauniaqtut niqainut Iqaluit July-mit August-milu 2018-mi. Ukua atatait ihuaqhaqtauniaqtut ilituriyauyaagani iqalukni tikitaaqata ukiivikmiknut immaqnut nuguliqaat September 2018-mi. Hivuniqhijutit ukunanga atataqnit naunairutauniaqtuq ukiiviinik immaqnik naunairiaganilu ihuaqniqhamik inikhamik ukua imiktut nalautikut tuhaqtaulaat.Napait 95-guyunit imiktut nalautikut atatait pilanuaqlugit niqainut ilihauniaqtut Iqaluit 2018-mi, amiakulu atuliqniaqut 2019-mi. 20 nalautit iliyauniaqtut July-mi 2018-mi, naunaiqniaqtuq atataqaqtuq iqaluk aulagaagat tuhaqhauniganit, pipkaiyutauniaqtuq hivuniqhijutinik hunauliraagat humiiniginiklu iqalukpiit aulaniginik. 14-guyut nalautit iliyauniaqtut ikalrunut, kuukanut piyaulutiklu September-mi aipagutuaraagat havaami iliyaufaaqlutik atuqtukhami auyami. Avaliitut siksit (6) nalautil iliyauniaqtut itiniqnut tattinut taqyumuluniit aulalimagitulu iqalukpikni atuqhimaqtilugu havaaq. Naalautit kihaqaqniaqtut atuqlutik 5-kalanik nirumiakhani uyaraqaqtunik qiqhuqhimayunik, ahivagauniaqhutiklu aturiaqat havaaq hunaliqaa piqagitaagani maniqami inigiyauyumi.Iqaluit kitpaaviit naunailaaqtulu ilituqhaqlugit hunaqaqniginik Iqaluit hiutainit hauniinit naunaiyaqlugilu immaut hunaqaqniganik. Immaqnik iliturakhanik piniaqtut