Mine

Proud of our legacy to the North
Health, safety, and environment
Traditional knowledge study focuses on fish, water quality
As part of the Aquatic Effects Monitoring Program, a
traditional knowledge study was conducted in August 2015.
The study was conducted at a camp on the south shore of
Lac de Gras and included elder and youth participants
from the Kitikmeot Inuit Association, the Lutselk’e Dene
First Nation, the North Slave Metis Alliance, the Tlicho
Government, and the Yellowknives Dene First Nation.
The primary objective was to exchange information,
resources, and knowledge between traditional knowledge
holders and scientists. The focus was Lac de Gras fish and
water health. Another objective was to meet the regulatory
requirements for monitoring aquatic health.
Elders, youth, and scientists collaborated to set nets, inspect
overall fish health, capture scientific data, and collected
traditional knowledge observations for each fish. Elders then
tasted a total of four fish that they baked, boiled, fried, and
grilled.
Similarly, camp participants used indicators grounded in
traditional knowledge to evaluate water quality. From this
perspective, camp participants deduced that water quality
is good by virtue of observing the health of surrounding
or submerged vegetation and animals, presence/absence
of surface foam and/or vegetation, clarity, movement,
temperature, and taste. Water samples taken from
Lac de Gras were boiled into tea to evaluate for taste.
Results from scientific analysis of fish health and water
quality support observations made by traditional
knowledge holders that the present status of the fish and
water in Lac de Gras is good.
Participants acknowledged that Diavik is working hard to
keep the fish and water healthy, and indicated the study
embodies a new relationship model for industry and
communities.
To document the program, a report entitled Feeling the
Spirit Together: Monitoring our Land, Water, Fish and Air
will be posted on the Wek’eezhii Land and Water Board
web site in 2016 and a video documentary, We Fish Today,
for Fish Tomorrow, will be posted on the diavik.ca web site.
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