by An increase in “last chance tourism” in Canada’s melting Arctic is causing a row between those who warn of its destruction. it is caused by the environment and those who rely on tourist income to survive as the hunt becomes increasingly difficult.
Pond Inlet, a village of about 1,600 mostly Inuit people in the territory of Nunavut, received about 3,000 tourists in 2023. Each paid about $15,000 to travel on one of the 25 cruise ships that docked in the harbor the village.
Local authorities say they expect the number to rise further next year. In a town where food costs twice the Canadian average, with one of the highest poverty rates in the country and a median age of 26, cruise ships are a vital source of income for people who depended on sea mammal hunting and fishing for maintenance. more than 4,000 years.
Michael Milton, 28, works for Ikaarvik, an organization through which local young people collaborate with researchers from the south. He said this winter was warmer than usual, the ice was thinner and even experienced hunters had accidents.
He said: “The weather is more unpredictable than ever, and the increase in the number of ships makes things more complicated.”
Milton said the community was divided. “Some people support stopping this temporarily to see what happens to the environment, but others who rely on this income during the summer disagree. It is very difficult for me to choose a side. I have mixed feelings; I like interacting with tourists, but I also want to preserve our way of life.”
Supporters of tourism say that ships are part of a vicious cycle; they scare away the wildlife they come to see, which means there are fewer animals to hunt, and in turn the residents rely more on tourism for income.
Professor Jackie Dawson, of the University of Ottawa, who coined the term “last chance tourism”, said: “This idea is changing that the landscape is changing … polar bears are shifting and moving. This has attracted many tourists to come to the region. They believe this is their last chance to see him.”
They may be right; the Arctic is warming almost four times faster than the global average and is expected to be free of summer ice by 2050.
Locals say the boom in marine activity is taking a toll on wildlife, particularly the narwhals. Karen Nutarak, Pond Inlet’s representative in Nunavut’s legislative assembly, said: “In the past, from the visitor center, you could watch the whales and seals down the shore but not anymore.”
Nutarak coordinates a theater group in which many local people participate, welcoming visitors with artistic performances. She sees tourism as an opportunity to eliminate stereotypes about the Inuit way of life and sustain traditional rituals that are disappearing. “Some people think we still live in igloos and don’t have electricity,” she said.
Jonathan Pitula, a 24-year-old who works in the town archives and acts as a museum guide, said the scarcity of marine mammals has forced the community to invest extra time and money in the hunt. “You need a job to buy fuel, but it’s like a trap because if you work, you don’t have time to hunt.”
This increased human activity is largely due to the sensitive Arctic environment. Last year, in response to lobbying efforts by the Mittimatalik Hunters and Trappers Organization (MHTO), cruise ships were restricted from traveling beyond Loch Inlet to mitigate their impact on narwhal routes.
David Qamaniq, chairman of the MHTO, said: “For big boats, there are no mammals. We have no farming, no agriculture here; we have to hunt.”
The Arctic is at the forefront of this increased human activity; shipping has increased by 7% per year over the last ten years. The IS artificial light and underwater noise pollution from ships affects marine migration routes.
In addition to cruise ships, cargo vessels carrying iron from a nearby mine add to the problem. Recently, hunters successfully opposed the expansion of that mine.
“A small amount of noise in the Arctic travels much longer distances than it does in temperate waters,” said Andrew Dumbrille, a consultant for the NGO Clean Arctic Alliance.
The deputy mayor, Joshua Idlout, acknowledged the positive impact of tourism income, such as providing funding for a women’s shelter, but expressed concern about the decline in the participation of young people in traditional practices such as hunting.
“They are connected to the world, but they are losing land skills,” he said. “We have an unforgiving country out there. If you’re not prepared for it, you won’t last very long.”
This story was done by Ruido and endorsed by the Pulitzer Center. Additional reporting by Natalie Alcoba
