Infographic 8: Status of subsistence and commercial species

A map-based infographic shows the status of subsistence and commercial marine species in the Canadian Arctic. A map of the Arctic is in the background with seven white informational bubbles on top. Each bubble represents a different group of species, with arrows pointing to their specific location in the Canadian Arctic on the map behind them and an icon indicating if they are a commercial or subsistence species. In the bottom right corner of the infographic there is a legend that shows a dollar sign for a commercial species and a bowl for a subsistence species. The top left bubble shows a bowl icon, with icons of a beluga whale and a seal with yellow question marks as their population trends are largely unknown. At bottom left a bubble shows a bowl icon, with a beluga whale icon and a down arrow, a dashed line points to Aklavik on the map. The top middle bubble shows a dollar sign icon, and an icon of a Greenland Halibut with a forward-facing arrow and a dashed line points to Baffin Bay and Davis Strait on the map. The bubble in the middle of the infographic shows a dollar sign icon, and an icon of a shrimp with a forward-facing arrow indicating a stable abundance and a dashed line points to Baffin Bay. The bottom middle bubble shows a bowl icon and an icon of a bowhead whale with an upward arrow indicating increasing abundance in this species. At top right, a bubble shows a dollar sign icon, and has an icon of a Greenland Halibut with an arrow pointing down, then back up, indicating a rebound of a winter Greenland Halibut fishery. Lastly, the bubble in the bottom right corner shows both a dollar and bowl icons along with an icon of an Arctic char with a question mark indicating unknown information about stocks.

• Population trends for walrus, seals, narwhal and beluga are largely unknown
• Harvest of beluga by the community of Aklavik has declined due to increasing storms and erosion, as well as economic and cultural changes
• Greenland Halibut stock in Baffin Bay and Davis Strait is stable
• Northern and Striped Shrimp stocks are stable
• Bowhead is the only resident whale known to be increasing in abundance, recovering from historical whaling
• Up to 400 char stocks are harvested, only 20 are monitored
• Most monitored stocks are stable or increasing
• Community-based Greenland Halibut hook and line winter fishery in Cumberland Sound
• Reductions in sea ice forced fishery to shallower waters. Catches rebounded after unmapped deeper water habitats were found closer to shore
• Commercial
• Subsistence