The noise of the ship can take Belugas far away from the potential churchill port, experts are afraid

Proposal to expand churchill’s port in North Manitoba may bring an increase in shipping traffic and commercial activity-and some experts suggest that the whale’s behavior may affect which is not only a major draw in about $ 100 million of the region, but also an important food source for some in the north.

Johnny Magark remembers hunting Beluga Whale with Hudson Bay coastline at the age of 13 or 14 with Hudson Bay Coastline with his father.

“This is part of our culture; we live on it,” said Mamgark.

“It is very expensive to live in the north, the food we buy is very expensive – that’s why we need to hunt to survive in the north.”

Mammagark, who now lives in Vinnipag, has grown in Inuk and Arviyat, Nunavut – a small Inute community along the west coast of Hudson Bay flies to the north of the churchill as a Croe as about 260 kilometers.

He is worried about more shipping and marine traffic around the port of Churchill, disrupting the population of Beluga Whale in the region where his family and ancestors have hunted him for centuries.

“We want people to understand that we do not just kill animals, we are feeding ourselves and putting food on our table,” said Mamgark.

Manitoba Premier Wab Cume Has promoted the idea As part of a major northern trade corridor, with a new or extended port along the coastline of the province, which can send items such as oil, liquefied natural gas or hydrogen to European markets.

Churchill’s port, one of Canada’s most northern deep water ports and is a brief operating window in each summer, partnership with the Arctic Gateway Group, dozens of first nation and Hudson Bay communities. Its The only deep water port with the reach of the Arctic Ocean in North America It is also accessible by rail.

Plans for a port expansion did not cut the first round of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s five major “nation-building” infrastructure projects, but expected to be considered for the upgrade. next wave,

Till then, some community leaders are trying to find out how the Arctic wildlife population may be co -existed with a major increase in marine traffic and commercial activity.

Whales depend on sound

Western Hudson Bay has a Beluga population Estimated 55,000According to the Conservation Group Onsions North, thousands of people, along with thousands of people in Nelson, Churchill and Astruaries of the Seal River.

They are known for the tourists to get mixed with tourists in Churchill Muhana – part of a tourist industry in Churchill that contributes an estimated $ 99 million to Manitoba’s GDP, Manitoba according to travel,

Brendon McAeren, president of the Churchill Chamber of Commerce, says 30 percent of those tourists are specially ready for Churchill for Belugas.

“Sometimes a Beluga whale will create enthusiasm, but will make anyone laugh, a very interesting thing about the species,” McAeon said.

But whale noise does not be politely taken for ships.

Marien Markox, a research scientist at fisheries and oceans, says that noise presents problems for Belugas, which depends on sound for basic functions such as detection His hunter, killer whale,

Morkox stated that the sound of low frequency from ships can travel long distances, especially in quiet Arctic water, which makes it very difficult to communicate with each other for Belugas.

“This sound can mask the sounds with a whale’s vigor and other whales that you want to hear,” Markox said.

“This is not just noise at the port – there is going to be noise around the shipping lane,” he said. “It is related.”

A 1999 study Published in the academic journal Marine Mal Science, it was found that Beluga Whale reduced its calling rates in St. Lawrence River Astrow as reached the ships.

Another study Published in the Canadian bulletin of fisheries and aquatic science in the 1980s, it was found that Beluga whales were “extraordinaryly sensitive” for shipping activity in high archi during spring, “alarm calls” and rapid movements produced when the ships were within 40 to 55 kilometers.

“Churchill Muhana is quite small and quite narrow, so you are going to get a lot of resonance and lots of noise,” said Stephen Peterson at the Asiniboin Park Conservation in Vennipag, so you are going to get a lot of resonance and lots of noise. “

Beluga offers a lot of benefits to the whale, Peterson said – hot water is more suitable for giving birth, a large food source, and the killer whales are less likely to follow them in shallow water.

While he does not ensure what the ship will be when traffic increases, its best estimate is that if it is very noise, the whale area will leave.

This is one of the reasons that he and his colleagues started “Beluga Bits“-A civil-based, non-invasive project aimed at monitoring and tracking Beluga Whale around Churchill.

Peterson said that the project may help encourage churchill officers to limit the impact of maritime traffic on Belugas during some time of the year, opening a way for co -existence with potentially increased shipping.

McAeon of the Chamber said that “Churchill is still having” to embrace more economic opportunities “, protecting the unique ecosystem of the region and indigenous methods of life. ,

“We want to welcome increased economic development, development that our economy needs,” he said.

“But now is the time to ensure that we are taking necessary steps and working on a plan to ensure that all industries are moving forward, and that our indigenous cultures and our species and environment are taken care of.”

Protected area proposal

Another proposal to protect the ecosystem with Western Hudson Bay Coastline is by nominating one National maritime conservation zone,

According to Christopher Debiki, vice -president of policy development with the north of the oceans, efforts have been underway to establish one of the federally designated protected areas in the area for more than a decade.

The main advantage of a maritime conservation area is that it will provide a management structure to monitor the health of the ecosystem, he said.

“If done carefully, with good management and good monitoring,” Possible expansion of the Church of the Churchill “should not have adverse effects on the Beluga population,” Debiki said.

The next phase park in obtaining a maritime conservation area designation for esturizing with Western Hudson Bay will be to begin a feasibility study for Canada.

Mamgark, who Has worked with the answer to the first oceansAccepts that the surrounding communities may benefit from rapid access to the rapid shipment through port expansion.

However, he is still concerned how it can affect the traditional method of his community’s life.

“This expansion, I think, is good for all,” he said.

“It is going to create a lot of jobs for the people of Churchill, but it is going to affect people along the coast, Inute which is dependent on the marine mammals for food.

“This is something that we have to discuss between Manitoba and Inute.”