Dre Audrey Limoges - Multidisciplinary Expeditions to Nares Strait and the Tuvaijuittuq Marine Protected Area to understand past and present ecosystems

The region north of Greenland and the Canadian Arctic Archipelago is projected to be the last refuge for multi-year sea ice in the Arctic as the climate continues to warm. This makes it a crucial habitat for diverse and specialized species that depend on sea ice for survival. Accordingly, the Tuvaijuittuq Marine Protected Area was established to provide protection and conservation of this ecosystem. However, limited data on both present and historical ecological conditions pose challenges in defining a baseline for assessing future changes.

In 2023 and 2024, two multidisciplinary research programs aboard the Canadian Coast Guard Ship Amundsen explored previously uncharted fjords on both sides of Nares Strait, a key gateway between the Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic. This presentation will highlight the objectives of these expeditions and share initial findings from this critical yet understudied region.