Nunatsiavut Government

Purpose

This research project addresses community concerns in Nunatsiavut, Labrador about the health, availability, and contaminant levels in ringed seals (Natsik) and polar bears (Nanuk), both of which are being affected by climate change. Using historical records and new field data, the study will examine how changing environmental conditions over the past 30 years have altered the diet and contaminant exposure—especially mercury—of these top Arctic predators. Initiated in response to local priorities, the project supports Inuit food security, informs conservation planning under the National Marine Conservation Areas Act, and strengthens community-based research and governance in the region.