ARCUS 14th Annual Meeting and Arctic Forum 2002

Climate and Subsistence Hunting: The Sustainability of Arctic Communities

Craig Nicolson¹, Jack Kruse², Gary Kofinas³, Matthew D. Berman⁴, Don Russell⁵, Brad Griffith⁶, Craig George⁷, Harry Brower, Jr.⁸, Stephen Braund^9
1Department of Natural Resources Conservation, University of Massachusetts, 160 Holdsworth Way, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA, Phone 413/545-3154, Fax 413/545-4358, craign@forwild.umass.edu
²Department of Geosciences, University of Massachusetts, Leverett, MA, USA, afjak@uaa.alaska.edu
³Institute of Arctic Studies, Dartmouth College, PO Box 832, Wilson, WY, 83014, USA, gary.kofinas@dartmouth.edu
⁴Institute of Social and Economic Research, University of Alaska Anchorage, 3211 Providence Drive, Anchorage, AK, 99508, USA, auiser@uaa.alaska.edu
⁵Environment Canada, Canadian Wildlife Service, 91782 Alaska Highway, Whitehorse, YT, Y1A 5B7, Canada, don.russell@ec.gc.ca
⁶Alaska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, University of Alaska Fairbanks, PO Box 757020, Fairbanks, AK, 99775, USA, ffdbg@uaf.edu
⁷Department of Wildlife Management, North Slope Borough, PO Box 69, Barrow, AK, 99723, USA, cgeorge@co.north-slope.ak.us
⁸Department of Wildlife Management, North Slope Borough, PO Box 69, Barrow, AK, 99723, USA
⁹Stephen Braund and Associates, PO Box 101480, Anchorage, AK, 99510, USA, srba@alaska.net

The arctic climate system is marked by substantial inter-annual variability, and it determines many of the environmental conditions that influence the distribution of migratory subsistence resources such as bowhead whale and caribou. Will the indigenous communities of the arctic successfully continue to harvest these resources in the face of a changing climate?

We present two case studies: spring bowhead whale hunting in Barrow, Alaska, and caribou hunting in Old Crow, Canada. In both cases, we present an analytical framework for understanding and quantifying the interactions between the natural and human systems in order to understand the influence of the climate system on local hunting effort and success.

In this presentation we summarize model relationships and data sources, describing in particular how local knowledge contributed to building relationships and assumptions. We then outline how we used a simulation model to explore the interactions between these relationships and to assess how a warmer climate might affect the local subsistence economy and the well-being of residents. Our results suggest that local policies as well as sharing of hunting gear and caribou harvests help ensure that most people are able to meet their subsistence needs despite varying levels of wage employment and money income.

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