The value of Inuit participation when conserving the common eider duck in Arctic Canada and Greenland

• Main Authors: Gilchrist, Grant, Merkel, Flemming Ravn, Sonne, Christian, Gilliland, Scott G., Mosbech, Anders, Iverson, Samuel
• Format: Conference Object
• Language: English
• Published: 2015
• Subjects: Arctic; Canada; Greenland; Common Eider; inuit; Sea ice
• Online Access: https://pure.au.dk/portal/da/publications/the-value-of-inuit-participation-when-conserving-the-common-eider-duck-in-arctic-canada-and-greenland(5486c068-5f78-462b-9bdb-18745b1529a1).html

The northern common eider duck nests in the eastern Canadian Arctic and west Greenland, and migrates to winter in Atlantic Canada and southwest Greenland. The eider is harvested for its meat, feather down and eggs and its ongoing conservation is the shared responsibility of Canada, Greenland, Denmark, and northerners. This presentation will review the meaningful involvement and direct participation of Inuit during many aspects of historical and ongoing eider duck conservation efforts. These include studies that examined the sustainability of harvest, the establishment of new harvest regulations, long term monitoring of breeding colonies in remote coastal locations, reporting on emerging disease epidemics, and ongoing field studies which examine the impacts of polar bear predation under changing sea ice conditions. This presentation will review how working relationships were established between Inuit and scientists, training implemented, and how information was gathered rigorously; all efforts which have contributed to the shared priority of northern eider conservation.