Many Nunavummiut continue to eat seal meat and the good news from Environment and Climate Change Canada is that contaminants in the animalsSA国际影视传媒� meat, blubber and organs have generally been on the decline over decades.
photo courtesy of Environment Canada
The federal government department has been studying chemicals in ringed seals for a quarter century. Old pollutants, such as PCBs, have been dropping due to regulations prohibiting them, according to Magali Houde, a Montreal-based researcher with Environment and Climate Change Canada.
SA国际影视传媒淏ut weSA国际影视传媒檙e also screening for new (toxins). WhatSA国际影视传媒檚 entering the environment up in the Arctic?SA国际影视传媒� she said of the ongoing scrutiny for items such as micro-plastics, flame retardants, water repellents and non-stick finishes used in pots and pans. SA国际影视传媒淛ust so (people) know that we are looking into contaminants in their country foods and working with health agencies.SA国际影视传媒�
Micro-plastics havenSA国际影视传媒檛 been accumulating at significant rates in seals but are of greater concern in seabirds, she said.
Many of the contaminants drift into Nunavut through the air and oceans from southern Canada and the U.S., she said. In the Western Arctic, Asia is contributing some of the pollution.
Federal researchers rely on Northern harvesters for approximately 80 ringed seal samples per year for studies, according to Houde.
Thomas Alikaswa, chair of the Arviat Hunters and Trappers Organization, said itSA国际影视传媒檚 important to his organization to participate in the research.
SA国际影视传媒淭he reason why we keep supporting those guys is some people here eat a whole lot of sea mammals, seals are one of them,SA国际影视传媒� said Alikaswa. SA国际影视传媒淲e like to keep track of their health, (whether theySA国际影视传媒檙e) good to eat with no mercury and all that.SA国际影视传媒�
Because contaminants in seals are within acceptable levels, Alikaswa acknowledged that he encourages people to eat country foods rather than store-bought food, as much as possible.
Eating seal delivers vitamins A and D, omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, iron and selenium (an antioxidant).
Alikaswa noted that seals have additional value because their soft and durable skins are used for making warm mitts and kamiik.
Houde stressed that ringed seal contaminants analyses wouldnSA国际影视传媒檛 be possible without the involvement of harvesters who supply the seal samples.
SA国际影视传媒淭heir knowledge for this important part is the key to my project,SA国际影视传媒� she said.
ItSA国际影视传媒檚 the responsibility of Environment and Climate Change Canada to go into the communities and thoroughly explain the results of the studies, said Houde. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 been a challenge to overcome the language barrier in regards to specific technical terms, particularly the names of contaminants for which thereSA国际影视传媒檚 no translation, she explained.
ItSA国际影视传媒檚 also important to provide context SA国际影视传媒渟o people donSA国际影视传媒檛 get scared about numbers that sometimes donSA国际影视传媒檛 mean anything to them,SA国际影视传媒� Houde added.
