“Canada’s Arctic waters are imperative to the livelihoods, culture, and identity of Nunavut Inuit. The Government of Canada is working in partnership to protect these ecosystems for future generations and is investing over $550,000 in two marine environmental data collection projects in Iqaluit, Nunavut. These projects are being funded through the Coastal Environmental Baseline Program under Canada’s $1.5 billion Oceans Protection Program.

The two research projects are gathering a wide-range of data to help better understand Canada’s coastal environment and how we can protect it. Arctic UAV Inc. is leading a project that is collecting coastal environmental baseline data using a remotely operated underwater vehicle (RJE Oceantbotics SRV-8). This innovative project is using video to document habitat, bottom substrate, and benthic species within inner Frobisher Bay. This data will complement many of the other ongoing baseline data collection projects in the Iqaluit area.

A second project by Arctic UAV Inc. is creating georeferenced aerial maps of the inner Frobisher Bay Intertidal Zone. Drones are being used to capture high-resolution imagery of the intertidal areas adjacent to the city of Iqaluit, including areas where coastal development is active. These initiatives will provide crucial information to advance our understanding of these areas and the potential impacts human activities have on the sensitive ecosystem. By working closely with Indigenous partners, Nunavut communities, non-governmental organizations, academia and other research partners, Fisheries and Oceans Canada is strengthening our ability to protect coastal species and habitats.”

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