Arctic Borderlands Ecological Knowledge Co-op

By Kent Sinnott, Feb. 2000

• Community Information Sheet (fall 1999)
• Update (Feb. 2000)
• Photos (Feb. 2000)

Community Information Sheet

Fall 1999

The Arctic Borderlands Ecological Knowledge Co-op has conducted community interviews each year for the past three years in Aklavik, Fort McPherson and Old Crow. Elders, fishers and hunters are asked questions about what they have observed on the land over the past year. One set of questions is related to fish quality.

In three years of this study, we have found that people generally seem satisfied with the quality of fish that they catch in all three communities.

But in all communities some people each year express concerns about the quality of loche (burbot) livers. We receive a range of comments about changes in texture, colour, size, and other comments about the livers.

The participants at the Co-op's 4^th Annual Gathering in Inuvik in March 1999 recommended that the Co-op conduct a follow-up study to this set of community observations.

The purpose of this study is to compare "normal" and "unusual" loche livers to see if:

1. there are any differences in contaminants levels (organochlorines and metals)
2. there are differences in the moisture content, fat content, or physiological differences (such as tumors or parasites).

Loche fishers are asked to save livers that they consider normal and livers that they consider unusual or poor quality. We will need some information about each loche, such as where it was caught, its size and its sex. We would like to take photographs of the livers, have the fishers describe the livers, and weigh both the livers and the fish.

The livers will be frozen and sent to Whitehorse. Some of the livers will then be sent to the Fisheries and Oceans lab in Winnipeg to be analysed for amount of fat and for contaminants. A maximum of 5 "normal" and 10 "unusual" livers will be collected from each community.

The Co-op will write a report on this study, and the results will be reported back to each fisher and to the community.

The loche liver study to date...

February 2000

In early November 1999, Annie B. Gordon, Susan Ross, Sherri DeBastien, and Vicky Josie were hired to oversee the Arctic Borderlands Loche Liver Project in their communities. They received a short training session that included background information to share with locals involved. Part of the training was how to take the proper measurements, fill out the data forms, and ensuring the data forms are well correlated with the proper liver.

In Aklavik, jiggling was done by students from Moose Kerr School. In return for the students time, money was donated for their Firth River trip that's being planned for June 2000. Annie B. Gordon and Susan Ross worked with Doug Blaine and his students on a couple of occasions. They fished at Jackfish Creek, Six mile, and Martin's Creek. Thirty liver samples, twenty of which were normal, and ten that are unusual were collected. As each fish was cleaned, Annie B. had the opportunity to share her knowledge with the students. She explained what they were looking for and the differences between the good and unusual livers. The unusual livers were generally described as having brown or black spots and some samples have green growths as well. Healthy livers are commonly described as fat and white.

In Fort McPherson, Sherri collected the liver samples from local fisherman. Fishing was done at Husky River and Eight mile. A total of eight livers unusual livers were collected. They were generally described as having black or dark spots and being thin.

In Old Crow, Vicky Josie found that we had started our project too late. Loche fishing was done as the ice was already too thick. An effort was then made to collect the livers from locals freezers. Due to these circumstances, no liver samples were submitted from Old Crow.

Once all the liver samples were collected, they were sent to Alan Firth in Inuvik. Alan is the Fisheries Technician for the Gwich'in Renewable Resources Board. He kept the livers frozen for a few days and then sent them to Whitehorse with Peter Clarkson and the rest of the Inuvik mens hockey team. The livers were picked up at the airport and quickly taken to Environment Canada's archive freezer, which stays at minus forty degrees Celsius. Some randomly selected liver samples are being sent to a Fisheries and Oceans lab in Winnipeg. It will take some time to get results but when received they will be summarized and delivered to the communities involved.

Photos

February 2000

These photos were taken when the livers were frozen. All the livers are darker when frozen than when fresh. The top two photos are livers considered to be in good condition, and the lower photos are livers considered to be in poor condition.