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Project Overview

Type of application: Amendment

Proponent name:	Christine Michel
Company:	Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Schedule:

Start Date:	2022-04-28
End Date:	2022-05-26
Operation Type:	Seasonal

Project Description:

One of the most fundamental changes in sea ice cover in the Arctic Ocean is the transition from an old, multiyear-ice dominated sea ice cover to annual sea ice. The Last Ice Area, north of Ellesmere Island at the edge of the Arctic Ocean, is the only region that is expected to retain summer sea ice until 2050. As permanent ice cover recedes, Tuvaijuittuq and sea ice ecosystems will be essential for the communities that depend on ice-dependent species for food, shelter and cultural use. Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) has secured funding to develop an ecosystem overview of Tuvaijuittuq and connected sea ice ecosystems of the archipelago, obtain baseline data on the sea ice ecosystem, and develop a better understanding of the role of sea ice for Arctic ecosystems and species. The overall objective of this project is to better understand the role of the sea ice in the productivity and biodiversity of the Arctic Ocean, as well as in physical and biogeochemical processes that influence ecosystems and marine species, including fisheries, in connected ecosystems. In this project we will access the sea ice by helicopter. During day trips, we will collect ice cores using a small (9 cm) ice corer, and we will also collect underice water samples with water sampling bottles (Niskin bottles). We also plan to use a small instrument attached to a line to measure temperature and salinity.

Summary of Modifications:

Due to Covid restrictions, we were unable to carry out the field work proposed for 2020 and 2021 (NRI licences 02 006 20R-M and 02 015 21R-M). This application is for amendment to this project, with the changes in the proposed field program, as detailed here. Change in field location: Due to COVID-19, the original proposed field location at CFS Alert is not open for scientific activities.from offshore CFS Alert (northernmost tip of Ellesmere Island) to sea ice in the channels surrounding Cornwallis Island in Wellington Channel, McDougall Sound and Queens Channel. These proposed locations are for spring 2022 only. Change in access to sea ice sampling stations: We will not set up a temporary shelter on the ice as we would have at CFS Alert. Please note that I was unable to make this change on the temporary structure from section on Land Use & Licensing. There will minimal disturbance to the stations visited. We will be accessing sea ice stations by helicopter. The stations are planned to be located offshore, where water depth is > 50 m. We plan to spend approximately 2 h at station. We are following the same sampling methods as in past application. We are not leaving any equipment on sampling site, with minimal disturbance to sampling site. The map of proposed research area has been amended.

Personnel:

Persons:	5
Days:	18

Project Map

List of all project geometries:

ID	Geometry	Location Name
8677	polygon	New project geometry- Wellington Channel
8678	polygon	New project geometry- Queens Channel
8679	polygon	New project geometry - McDougall Sound

Planning Regions:

Kivalliq

Affected Areas and Land Types

Settlement Area

North Baffin Planning Region

Project Land Use and Authorizations

Project Land Use

Scientific Research

Temporary Structures

Licensing Agencies

DFO:

NRI:

Other Licensing Requirements
No data found.

Material Use

Equipment

Type	Quantity	Size	Use
ice augers	2	9 cm diameter	to collect ice cores offshore Alert base
ice drill	1	20 cm	to melt ice to make a hole for water sampling, offshore of Alert
snowmobiles	3	regular - 2 persons	to access the ice for sampling program
komatics	3	regular komatic	to carry equipment to sampling site
Twin Otter	1	N/A	for one aerial survey (marine mammals and ice types)
Ice profiler	1	one buoy, ca 30 cm diam	anchored in the ice, measures water temperature & salinity
Meteorological station	1	1.5 m high	On ice, to measure air temperature, radiation, wind
Drone	1	ca 60 cm max length	to study ice types (multiyear and first year)
water sampling bottles	4	50 cm height	to collect water samples
winch	1	75 cm height	to use for water sampling

Fuel Use

Type	Container(s)	Capacity	UOM	Use
Gasoline	1	200	Liters	for snowmobiles

Hazardous Material and Chemical Use

Type	Container(s)	Capacity	UOM	Use
No records found.

Water Consumption

Daily Amount (m³)	Retrieval Method	Retrieval Location
0

Waste and Impacts

Environmental Impacts

The ice coring will impact very small areas of the sea ice environment, as the cores are only 9 cm diameter. The core holes refreeze within the day of sampling at the time of year of our sampling. No impacts is anticipated for the water sampling. The deployment of instruments attached to the ice has a minimal footprint, and the instruments (and temporary shelter) will be removed at the end of our spring sampling. In the fall, we will deploy instruments attached to the ice (temperature, conductivity, light, currents); the instruments will be recovered in spring 2019.

Waste Management

Waste Type	Quantity Generated	Treatement Method	Disposal Method
Combustible wastes	1 or 2 garbage bags	None	Garbage disposal at Alert
Sewage (human waste)	minimum	None	sewage disposal at Alert

See All (2)

Category:	Application related document - Conformity Determination Letter
Recieved:	2018-01-23
Originator:	Goump Djalogue
Public Registry ID:	19820
Document Size:	187.58 Kb

Category:	Application related document - Conformity Determination Letter
Recieved:	2022-04-14
Originator:	Solomon Amuno
Public Registry ID:	19910
Document Size:	237.83 Kb

NORTH BAFFIN QUESTIONAIRE

GENERAL

Environmental Protection:

s3.13.8: The applicant undertakes to prevent any new occurrences of pollution, garbage and contamination at the site of the development.

YES

Removal of Fuel Drums:

s3.13.8: The applicant undertakes to remove all drums safely from the site and dispose of the drums in a safe manner.

YES

New Site Restoration and Clean Up:

s3.13.1 and Appendix H, s1: The applicant undertakes to clean up the site and restore the site to its natural condition to the greatest extent possible.

YES

Old Site Restoration and Clean Up:

s3.13.2: The applicant undertakes to clean up the site and restore the site to its original condition to the greatest extent possible, including any work required due to the applicant's action prior to this application.

YES

Low-Level Air Flights:

Appendix H, s3: Will the applicant avoid all low-level flights?

i. If not, explain why such flights are or may be absolutely necessary.

We will be avoiding low level flight most of the time, and would descent for low level flights only when required to conduct marine mammal surveys (above sea ice, and if any, open water).

ii. If such flights are or may be absolutely necessary, will they avoid disturbance to people and wildlife?

YES

iii. If not, explain why it is not possible to avoid such disturbance.

Caribou Protection Measures:

s3.3.7 and Appendix D: Will the applicant comply with the Caribou Protection Measures outlined in section 2.4.6 and in Appendix D?

YES

Caribou Water Crossings:

s3.3.7 and map: Will the applicant avoid, between may 15 and September 1, to construct any camp, cache any fuel or conduct any blasting within 10 km of any Designated Caribou Water Crossing identified

YES

Polar Bear Denning Areas and Walrus Haul-outs:

s3.3.8: Will the applicant keep its activities away from any polar bear denning area or walrus haul-out?

YES

HERITAGE RESOURCES

Reporting of Archaeological Sites:

s3.11.3 and Appendix H, s2 and s8: Will the applicant immediately report the discovery of all suspected archaeological sites to the Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth (GN)?

YES

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

Scientific Research:

s3.9.3: Does the project proposal involve scientific research?

YES

If yes, will the applicant integrate all available and relevant local and traditional knowledge when conducting its research?

YES

Consultation with Nunavut Research Institute:

s3.9.5: Has the applicant consulted with the Nunavut Research Institute about research topics that would benefit or interest local residents?

ii. If no, explain why.

There are no local residents in the area of research. However, we are having consultations with the Nunavut Government, NWMB and Tunngavik in January 2018. We are also consulting with the Resolute Bay and Grise Fjord HTAs.

Local Services and Local Employment:

s3.9.4: Will the applicant rely on local services and employment where possible?

YES

i. Describe the services retained and the people to be employed.

We plan to hire northerners from Resolute or possibly from Grise Fjord to help with the project. This may, however, be challenging due to the remoteness of the sampling area, and the need to stay at the location for a long period of time.

Communication on Scientific Research:

s3.2.8: The applicant will, at minimum, translate a summary of its work into Inuktitut and communicate with communities using language that is clear and non-technical. The results of all scientific re

YES

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