LB 8-77 - Biological characterization of Icelandic scallops (Chlamys islandica) and modeling of their occurrence using Sanikiluarmiut qaujimajatuqangit in the Belcher Islands, Nunavut

Background/Question/Methods:

The Iceland scallop, Chlamys islandica, is a northern distributed bivalve that has been selected to potentially support a sustainable commercial fishery around the Belcher Islands to profit the Sanikiluaq community. These islands, situated in the South-East portion of Hudson Bay in Nunavut, are considered for the establishment of a Marine Protected Area (MPA) because of their very dynamic environment and diverse flora and fauna. Our objective is to create a dataset that will facilitate the development of a commercial fisheries that is in line with Fisheries and Oceans Canada requirements while considering the resource sustainability. This project aims at quantifying and qualifying C. islandica around the Belchers with morphological and physiological characteristics. In addition to this, we predict the occurrence of this species with regards to their response to environmental predictors using an ecological niche modelling approach. Our methods are mainly focused on integrating Inuit traditional knowledge into our model and co-producing our data collection along with Sanikiluarmiut Qaujimajatuqangit or Sanikiluarmiut land knowledge.

Results/Conclusions:

Incorporating data into the model from interviews and drawings by community fishermen increased the probability of occurrence of C. Islandica predicted by environmental factors. In addition, the condition indices and meat content of the scallops is similar across the archipelago but remains to be compared with other commercial fisheries for that species. The sex ratio is 50/50, average size is 70 cm and meat yield ranges between 15-20%. Several analyses to come, such as lipid and protein content and calorimetry, will provide better assessment of the nutritional content. Local knowledge of the resource was used to follow a precautionary management strategy and divert fishers from overfishing only one site. Hopefully this study will provide insight into co-management of resources with local Indigenous communities in remote locations where annual surveys don’t occur.