INDIGENOUS FOOD SECURITY IN THE ARCTIC Implications of a Changing Ocean This brief focuses on how climate change affects Arctic Indigenous food systems, in particular resources, culture, and health tied to marine environments, and highlights examples of adaptive responses in ocean management. INFORMATION BRIEF 2021 Indigenous Food Security in the Arctic Rapid social and consequently affecting environmental change in the acquisition of traditional Aleut (Unangan) Arctic—including climate foods. Steller sea lion; change—affect the health northern fur seal, and well-being of millions Major environmental salmon, halibut, crab, of people and animals that changes are linked to the seabird eggs call the Arctic home.1 To warming Arctic, with rapid understand and manage deterioration of the Arctic these impacts effectively, sea ice ecosystem among the Iñupiaq one needs to look at the most drastic effects.4 Such Beluga and bowhead ecosystem as a whole for changes are altering the whales, bearded and a healthy environment, availability and accessibility ringed seals, walrus, healthy humans, and healthy of traditionally harvested polar bears animals1– a conceptual species, with consequences framework often referred to to health and cultural well- Qikiqtaaluk as One Health. being. The number and Beluga and bowhead types of harvested species, as whales; bearded, Food security can be an well as hunting and storage harp, and ringed seals; important indicator of methods, vary by region, narwhals; polar bears; ecosystem health2 and a culture, and community.5 cod, salmon, Arctic char major determinant of health While understanding these among Indigenous Peoples.3 differences is important for Indigenous communities considering the potential Kalaallisut rely on plants and animals climate change consequences Minke, fin, and beluga from their environment for and adaptation needs of whales; bearded, harp, (often termed “traditional,” each community,5 several hooded, and ringed “wild,” or “country” foods), common themes are outlined seals; narwhals; polar supplemented by imported in this information brief. bears store-bought food. This use of natural resources is a Map from Ságastallamin: Telling the Story of Arctic Indigenous Languages central part of Indigenous Exhibition, 2019: https://www.arcticpeoples.com/arctic-languages cultures. However, Sources: Arctic Biodiversity Assessment (CAFF, 2013). GRID-Arendal (GRID- rapid climate change is Arendal/UN Environment, 2019), W.K. Dallmann (Norwegian Polar Institute, drastically changing the 2012), experts from the Arctic Council Permanent Participant organizations. The physical dynamics of language classification for Haida is based on Schoonmaker et al., 1997, for Yukagir on advice from the Institute for the Peoples of the North, 2019. the environment, and 2 Arctic Council Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment Chukchi Pacific walrus, beluga and bowhead Examples of Harvested Species whales, bearded and ringed seals, Aleut crab,Copper shrimp Island (Unangam Tunuu) Attuan Creole Aleut (Unangam Tunuu) Taz Itelmen Evenk Ulchi Even Nanai Orok (Uilta)Orochi Udege Nanai Sugpiaq (Alutiiq) Alyutor Nivkh Ulchi Central Alaskan Yupik Kerek Koryak Negidal Haida Deg Xinag Sirenik Naukan Yupik Chuvan Eyak Kuskokwim Evenk Ahtna Central Siberian Even Dena'ina Holikachuk Yupik Even Tsimshianic Tlingit Chukchi Kolyma Evenk Tsetsaut Tanacross Yukagir Nisga-Gitksan Tagish Tanana Koyukon Chukchi Tutchone Hän Iñupiaq Tundra Sakha Kaska Yukagir (Yakut) Gwich’in Evenk Even Sakha North Slavey (Yakut) South Slavey Inuvialuktun Evenk Even Tłıchǫ Evenk Chipewyan Inuinnaqtun Seals, salmon Soyot Dolgan Ket Tofa Tuvan Nenets Evenk Nanai Kivallirmiutut Natsilingmiutut White salmon, muksun Nganasan Shor Chelkan Nenets Enets Telengit Aivilingmiutut Evenk Teleut Kumandin Qikiqtaaluk uannangani Selkup Chulym Tuba Inuktun Selkup Nenets Sámi Khanty Qikiqtaaluk nigiani Cod, salmon, halibut, saith, Mansi Nunavimmiutitut pollock, herring, crab Nenets Nunatsiavummiutut Izhma-Komi Kalaallisut Skolt Sámi Ter Sámi Komi Kildin Sámi Inari Sámi Akkala Sámi Iivermiisud Northern Sámi Kemi Sámi Lule Sámi Karelian Pite Sámi Veps Ume Sámi Altaic family Southern Sámi Na'Dene family Turkic branch Athabaskan branch Mongolic branch Eyak branch Tunguso-Manchurian branch Tlingit branch Paleo-Asian family Eskaleut family Paleo-Asian family Inuit group of Inuit-Yupik branch Language isolates Uralic family Yupik group of Inuit-Yupik branch Ket Finno-Ugric branch Aleut (Unangam Tunuu) branch Nivkh Samoyedic branch Not represented by Permanent Participants Tsimshianic Critically endangered or recently extinct Haida languages Dialects Yukagir languages Note: The map broadly demonstrates Arctic Indigenous traditional orthographies. Different dialects are marked in italics languages spoken by members of the Arctic Council Permanent to demonstrate diversity within languages. The present map Participant organizations (Indigenous Peoples Secretariat, 2019), is under further improvement with the help of a network of as well as the diversity of species harvested and importance linguists and Indigenous language experts. The goal is to create of these stocks across Indigenous communities. The borders a comprehensive online educational resource. Please submit between the language families and locations are illustrative and improvements, corrections, or interesting information about the not entirely precise, and the species listed are not intended to revitalization of Arctic indigenous languages to: be interpreted as a comprehensive representation of species [email protected] used. Most languages are written in English and not in their Indigenous Food Security in the Arctic: Implications of a Changing Ocean 3 Impacts of Climate Change on Availability and Accessibility Climate change interacts with other environmental and health stressors, along with a range of other factors that are fundamentally changing the nature of the Arctic.* These changes challenge the ability of Arctic communities to adapt.9 Climate change is leading to range expansions of some species, contractions of others, loss of habitats, and a wide range of other impacts on the Arctic’s interconnected ecosystems and the services they provide,4 with implications for food availability. The trend toward shorter snow cover season, loss of sea ice, and other changes in the Arctic affect traditional activities, such as hunting, and access to certain food sources. “The two most important parts of our food security were the availability of the animals and the hunter’s ability to hunt. Over the past hundred years, this has changed.” —Maggie Emudluk, Vice-President, Kativik Regional Government, Canada7 Note: Confidence ratings were applied as available in the cited source literature. * Climate change also affects how contaminants cycle within the Arctic,8 but this issue is beyond the scope of this information brief. 4 Arctic Council Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment Sea Ice Loss Driver Availability Accessibility Sea ice extent has shown Loss of biodiversity in sea Sea ice is becoming less decreasing trends in all ice habitats appears to be stable as its extent and months and virtually all linked to the decline of sea thickness decrease, regions of the Arctic (very ice, although observations increasing ice-related likely).4, 10 Arctic sea ice also show that some hazards, such as greater extent will continue to species traditionally wave action.13 Some decline in all months of the associated with open water northern communities year (high confidence).4 or warmer locations are have found it harder to expanding their ranges or obtain traditional foods are present during a longer due to the shorter snow portion of the year.9, 11 cover season, which affects Current trends indicate that travel to hunting grounds species reliant on sea ice as well as animal habitat. for reproduction, resting, The thinning of sea ice or foraging will experience and the lengthening melt range reductions as sea ice season also alter access to retreat occurs earlier and resources.13 the open water season is prolonged.12 In Qaanaaq (northwest Greenland), communities have reported that the spring hunt of walrus used to be mainly over the sea ice edge. However, with the reduction of sea ice, hunters here are increasingly using skiffs to hunt walruses resting on ice floes.14, 15 In the Bering-Chukchi- Beaufort region, hunters have reported that autumn open water conditions with high winds and waves and low visibility have become more common and are less in line with longstanding traditional skill sets and patterns.16 Indigenous Food Security in the Arctic: Implications of a Changing Ocean 5 Ocean Warming Driver Availability Accessibility Sea surface temperatures Many species are shifting Some species, such as are increasing over much northward as the Arctic belugas in Canada’s of the Arctic Ocean,4, 9 warms, with largely Hudson Bay, have shifted largely due to increased unknown consequences the timing of their absorption of solar for Arctic species and migration in response to radiation as a result of ecosystems. In some cases, warming waters, which sea ice loss, as well as the southern species may may affect the ability of inflow of warmer water outcompete and prey on Indigenous communities from lower latitudes (high Arctic species, or offer a to find and use these confidence).4 less nutritious food source resources.12 for Arctic species. Changes in plankton species can have cascading food web effects throughout the ecosystem.12