Lancaster Sound

Lancaster Sound
Lancaster Sound, Nunavut, Canada.   Nunavut   Northwest Territories   Quebec   Greenland
Coordinates	74°13′N 084°00′W
Countries	Canada
Settlements	Uninhabited

Lancaster Sound (Inuktitut ᑕᓗᕆᑐᑉ ᑕᕆᖓ Talluritup Tariunga) is a body of water in Qikiqtaaluk, Nunavut, Canada. It is located between Devon Island and Baffin Island, forming the eastern portion of the Northwest Passage. East of the sound lies Baffin Bay; to the west lies Viscount Melville Sound. Further west a traveler would enter the McClure Strait before heading into the Arctic Ocean.

Lancaster Sound was named in 1616 by explorer William Baffin for one of the three main financial supporters of his exploratory expeditions. The abortive expedition by the British explorer John Ross in 1818 ended when he saw what he believed were mountains blocking the end of Lancaster Sound. The sound was thoroughly explored during an extensive aerial mapping program of Northern Canada by the Canadian Government which took from the 1930s until the late 1950s to complete. Coincidentally, the type of aircraft that was used to complete the mapping program was the Avro Lancaster, a World War II heavy bomber which had been converted for mapping.

Geography

Ice cover, both land-fast ice and pack ice, is common for nine months of the year. A shore lead system ensures there are ice-free water areas.

Fauna

Wildlife is rich and varied, with an immense amount of Arctic cod (30,000 tons worth) known to exist there. The Arctic cod is also part of the diet for many of the birds in Lancaster Sound and marine mammals. Many narwhal, beluga, bowhead whale (an endangered species), ringed, bearded and harp seals, walrus, polar bears, thick-billed murres, Black-legged Kittiwakes, northern fulmars, black guillemots, arctic terns, ivory gulls and snow geese all occupy the area.

Conservation

In 1974 Norlands Petroleum Ltd is given approval-in-principle to drill an exploratory well in the middle of Lancaster Sound. Community opposition leads to the creation of an Environmental Assessment Review Panel that recommends in 1978 that Norlands proposal not be allowed until they can explain how exploratory drilling was compatible with current and future uses in Lancaster Sound.

This area is not yet represented in the Canadian national marine conservation areas systems even though an attempt to do so at the request of local Inuit was made in 1987.

A preliminary Minerals and Energy Resource Assessment to create a National Marine Park is completed in 1989.

On December 8, 2009, Canadian Environment Minister, Jim Prentice announced a $5 million feasibility study for a new national marine conservation area (NMCA) in Lancaster Sound.

A National Marine Conservation Area designation precludes oil and gas development, and so questions arose when the Nunavut Impact Review Board approved a NRCAN Geological Survey of Canada proposal to perform seismic testing for oil within Lancaster and Jones Sound in August and September, 2010 . The new seismic tests were not part of the Mineral and Energy Resource Assessment (MERA) process necessary in establishing new parks. In June 2010, communities and groups came out against seismic testing in Lancaster and Jones Sound. In late June planned seismic tests were apparently scaled back. But then in late July NRCan announced that plans for seismic testing were proceeding despite the unanimous opposition of Inuit communities and supporting organizations. In a major ruling on Aug 8, 2010 a Nunavut court sided with Inuit and stopped the planned seismic testing citing the risks to marine animals and cultural heritage. The federal Conservative government announced on December 6, 2010 that it will establish the boundaries of a new marine park in Lancaster Sound.

References

Geology and Resource Potential of a Proposed National Marine Park Lancaster Sound

External links

• Lancaster Sound on the Parks Canada website.
• Lancaster Sound Campaign on the Oceans North Canada website.