Arctic cod is an important food source for halibut and narwhals. A newly published scientific article on Arctic cod is one of the results of a fruitful collaboration between Greenlandic fishers and scientists. Oceans North Kalaallit Nunaat is proud to have contributed to this collaborative study.
When you eat mattak at a kaffemik, the narwhal will most likely have eaten Arctic cod. This fatty fish is abundant in cold and icy waters, and many species such as Greenland halibut, ringed seal, and narwhal will swim far into dangerous glacial fjords to eat it. Arctic cod is a key species and whatever happens to it will have a great impact on the predators that eat it – and thus on the Greenlandic culture and society.
It is uncertain how climate change may impact the Arctic cod and therefore indirectly the sustainability of fishing and hunting. This is why Oceans North Kalaallit Nunaat (ONKN) entered a collaboration with the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources (GN) and the Uummannaq Polar Institute on Arctic cod research. The first scientific article has just been published, and GN and ONKN has shared a summary of findings to the general public. In the study the scientists interviewed fishers from Uummannap Kangerlua and Sullorsuaq to document their knowledge about Arctic cod and its fishery. The scientists complemented this with biological samples of Arctic cod collected by fishers in front of two glaciers. The study had several interesting findings. For example, fishers shared their knowledge about Arctic cod lays eggs around Saattut; that Arctic cod comes in a light and a dark version; and that fresh Arctic cod is the best bait for fishing halibut. The biological samples showed that in the summer there was almost equal amounts of females and males, but in the autumn there was far fewer males than females. As males during the year grow bigger than females, the scientists guess that perhaps predators such as the ringed seal prefer to eat bigger Arctic cod and thus leaves behind the smaller females.
The Greenlandic environmental organization ONKN works to promote healthy oceans and sustainable use of marine living resources. ONKN aims, among other things, to build and disseminate knowledge about the marine environment and coastal areas in collaboration with the Greenlandic society. In ONKN we believe that combining Indigenous knowledge and local knowledge with scientific knowledge can improve the knowledge base for a sustainable management. This is also in line with Greenland’s National Research Strategy 2022-2030. ONKN is thus proud to contribute to collaborative studies like the one on Arctic cod.
- You can read the summary of findings for the general public here: HERE
- You can read the scientific article here: “Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida) in fjord and glacial habitats: a collaborative study with Uummannap Kangerlua fishers“
For media inquiries or further information please contact:
Parnuna Egede Dahl
Special Advisor, Oceans North Kalaallit Nunaat
