Food security and sustainable marine harvests in Qikiqtarjuaq

The harvest, consumption, and sharing of marine species are fundamental to Inuit health, food security and cultural identity. Ongoing changes in Arctic marine environments (e.g. sea ice decline) lead to shifts in the distribution and abundance of culturally important species, with consequences for food availability and access. Still, the baseline mechanisms driving Arctic marine food webs, such as trophic interactions, are not well understood. Furthermore, the links between ecosystem status, species abundance, harvest and food security remain elusive, particularly when it comes to the complex dynamics of these relationships under broader socio-economic changes in the Arctic. In this context, collaborations between harvesters, community members, and researchers spanning diverse fields of inquiry (from oceanography to nutrition) are needed to advance knowledge of the impacts of Arctic change for marine ecosystems and food security, and to co-develop adaptation strategies with and for the Qikiqtarjuaq region.