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Sarvarjuaq study area

The Sarvarjuaq study area is being proposed as a future Marine Protected Area under the Oceans Act. The public comment period on the proposed regulations is now open.

On this page

Sarvarjuaq study area, north (Inuktitut)

Sarvarjuaq study area, north (Inuktitut) (PDF, 582 KB)

Sarvarjuaq study area, south (Inuktitut)

Sarvarjuaq study area, south (Inuktitut) (PDF, 341 KB)

At-a-glance

Map of Sarvarjuaq study area

Map of Sarvarjuaq study area

Location

Sarvarjuaq is on the Canadian side of the North Water polynya, which is located in northern Baffin Bay, between Canada's Arctic Archipelago and Greenland. The polynya is often referred to as Pikialasorsuaq in Kalaallisut (West Greenlandic dialect) and is one of the largest recurring polynyas in the Arctic.

Size

About 73,737 km2

% of Canada's ocean territory

About 1.28%

Date identified

In 2011, the Canadian part of the North Water Polynya was designated as an ecologically and biologically significant area by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO).

Ecological and cultural importance

The North Water polynya, or Pikialasorsuaq, is an area of thin ice and open water surrounded by thicker pack ice, which returns on a periodic basis. Sea ice originating from the north, in Lincoln Sea, is pushed south through the narrow mountainous channels of Nares Strait by strong winds and currents. This sea ice gets forced into the narrowest choke points of the strait, most often just south of Kane Basin in Smith Sound, creating an ice bridge. The passage of sea ice is then blocked by the ice bridge(s), creating an area of open water (or very thin ice) in northern Baffin Bay.

Sarvarjuaq and the surrounding area have regionally unique physical features, including:

Sarvarjuaq is a hotspot for marine biodiversity. The polynya's open water provides a critical habitat for a diverse range of marine animals. The availability of open water in an otherwise icy environment allows for increased primary productivity. Sunlight can penetrate the water more deeply than through thick sea ice and support the growth of phytoplankton. Phytoplankton is the base of the marine food web. The polynya serves as a crucial feeding and breeding ground for many Arctic marine species, including:

Marine mammals (whales, seals and walrus) use this region seasonally and some species will remain in the open waters throughout the winter months. Millions of seabirds arrive to the North Water in the spring, and use the coastal-fiord regions surrounding the polynya for breeding, foraging and nesting. These animal species often migrate long distances to reach the polynya, highlighting its importance in their life cycles.

The North Water polynya has changing oceanographic features, which includes sea ice and icebergs from glaciers in the region. Fresh water flows into the region, fed by the melting ice caps in Canada and Greenland.

The effects of climate change and increased meltwater on the North Water are uncertain. Recently, the ice bridges that support the formation of the polynya are becoming less stable and forming with less predictability. Further research is required to understand these changes. Like many other Arctic regions, the polynya is vulnerable to the effects of climate change, such as:

Sarvarjuaq and the Pikialasorsuaq are both socially and culturally important. For millennia, this region has been home to some of the northern-most human settlements. The polynya has connected communities across Canada and Greenland, and supported many of these settlements through:

It is important to understand and preserve this unique ecosystem for those who rely on the region, and for global climate change research and conservation efforts.

Conservation approach

History

In 2011, DFO identifies the Canadian part of the North Water as an ecologically and biologically significant area.

In 2013, a cooperative workshop called Pikialasorsuaq: Bridging the Bay, hosted by Inuit Circumpolar Council Greenland and Oceans North, focused on living and non-living resources of the area and conservation. Participants included Inuit from Canadian and Greenlandic communities, and researchers from both countries. Through this workshop, the Pikialasorsuaq Commission (supported by the Inuit Circumpolar Council of Canada and Greenland) was established to provide an informed Inuit vision for the future of this region. Commission members included an international commissioner, a Greenlandic commissioner and a Canadian commissioner.

Over the course of 2016, commissioners led a consultation tour around communities adjacent to Pikialasorsuaq on the Canadian and Greenlandic sides – 11 communities in total.

The 2017 final report, People of the Ice Bridge: The Future of the Pikialasorsuaq (PDF, 3.3 MB), resulted from the information gathered from this tour. This report recommended Inuit-led conservation and management to ensure the long-term health of this important ecosystem.

In December 2022, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced up to $800 million over 7 years, starting in 2023 to 2024, to support up to 4 Indigenous-led conservation initiatives. This investment will support the establishment and management of protected areas through Project Finance for Permanence. This innovative funding model is based on partnership between Indigenous groups, governments and philanthropic organizations.

One of the 4 key areas announced was the Qikiqtani Region in Nunavut. Sarvarjuaq has been identified in the Qikiqtani Inuit Association's (QIA) 2022 Prospectus on the regional conservation approach to contribute towards a network of protected areas across the Qikiqtani Region. QIA, the Government of Canada and the Government of Nunavut are working together to explore marine conservation for Sarvarjuaq, focusing on Inuit-led conservation and stewardship.

Working together

Representatives from QIA, the Government of Nunavut and the Government of Canada (represented by DFO, Environment and Climate Change Canada and Transport Canada) have come together in a working group to discuss potential approaches to move marine conservation forward for the Qikiqtait and Sarvarjuaq study areas. To advance marine protection of the Qikiqtait and Sarvarjuaq areas, the main goals of the working group are to:

Specifically, the working group oversees the processes required to consider short-term protection of Qikiqtait and Sarvarjuaq through the designation of 2 Marine Protected Areas by Ministerial Order established under the Oceans Act. This tool can be used as a first step on the path towards identifying long-term management and conservation needs for Sarvarjuaq.

A Marine Protected Area (MPA) by Ministerial Order is designed to protect areas in the short-term – up to 5 years – by freezing the footprint of activities that have occurred during the 12 months prior to establishment. If the area is designated, freezing the footprint means that activities already underway (or that received authorizations) within that 12-month period may continue within the MPA, but no new activities are allowed. This also provides more time to develop our understanding of the ecosystem and community priorities for the region while ensuring no new impacts caused by human activities are introduced to the area. Most importantly, it provides more time to learn how Inuit want to conserve, protect and manage the area for the long term. The Government of Canada will work collaboratively with Inuit and northern partners to consider long term protection priorities, including supporting an Inuit-led Protected and Conserved Area (IPCA).

As the partners work together, DFO remains committed that all rights and responsibilities through the Nunavut Agreement will be respected throughout this process. Any federal protection measure established in Sarvarjuaq would be consistent with the Nunavut Agreement and would be subject to an Inuit Impact and Benefit Agreement.

Involving local communities

The 6 Nunavut communities adjacent to Sarvarjuaq that were included in consultations were:

  1. Arctic Bay
  2. Clyde River
  3. Grise Fiord
  4. Pond Inlet
  5. Qikiqtarjuaq
  6. Resolute Bay

These 6 communities were visited in 2 rounds of consultations (fall 2023 and spring 2024) by members of the Qikiqtait and Sarvarjuaq Working Group. Meetings were held with representatives of local organizations, such as the Hunters and Trappers Associations and the Hamlet Council. Public meetings were also held in the evenings during both rounds of consultations. Opportunities for feedback, concerns and questions were provided.

Communications were provided to stakeholders and adjacent communities outside Nunavut for awareness and input.

Next steps

The Government of Canada and the Qikiqtani Inuit Association are negotiating an Inuit Impact and Benefit Agreement for Sarvarjuaq and another study area called Qikiqtait, which surrounds the Belcher Islands in Hudson Bay. While negotiations are underway, DFO is gathering information about the area and working with communities, industry and partners to better understand the region.

Publications

Contact us

Feel free to email any questions to DFO.ArcticMPC-ArctiquePCM.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca.

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