Monitoring Arctic Shipping Trends (MAST): supporting decision making for marine transportation and traditional use areas across Nunavut (NGMP ID 16EC43)

The overall purpose is to contribute new knowledge that can support shipping related decision making, and policy and program development in Nunavut that balances economic, environmental, and socio-cultural imperatives, reduces local impacts, and preserves traditional-use areas. To do so, we will engage in four specific activities: 1) analysis of shipping trends across Nunavut (1990-present) (Year 1); 2) capacity building and training workshops for Inuit and northern youth on community participatory geographic information systems (PGIS) and community mapping (Years 1 & 2); 3) co-facilitating PGIS community workshops with trained local youth to identify traditional-use areas and to analyze the impact of increased ship traffic on these areas (Years 1 & 2); and 4) facilitate a policy round table in Iqaluit with key knowledge holders to develop shipping policy and program recommendations that more fully consider northern traditions, local and traditional marine use, and community impacts (Year 3). The long term objectives are to develop an open-source geospatial dataset of ship traffic in Nunavut from 1990 to present day, help ensure that Inuit and northern voices are more infused within federal decision-making and management of Arctic shipping traffic, and contribute new knowledge about shipping and traditional use areas that can be used by local organizations and mobilized for future initiatives.