INUVIK
To all appearances, the beluga are healthy and the people eating them should be as well.

Department of Fisheries and Oceans scientist Lisa Loseto, left, and Hank Rogers Sr. appreciated the beluga summit for how it brought people from different perspectives together for one common goal. - Sarah Ladik/NNSL photo

Last week, hundreds of delegates from Beaufort Delta communities and the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) gathered in Inuvik to talk about the whales that have traditionally been part of the subsistence culture of the region. While media were not allowed access beyond the opening and closing statements, representatives from both the science and traditional sides of the equation spoke to the Drum after the conference wrapped up.

"It looks like the number of whales is good," said Lisa Loseto, a researcher with DFO based out of Winnipeg. "The last estimate is 40,000 and all signs point to them being generally healthy."

While some comments were made about the level of mercury contamination in the whales, Loseta said that studies showed that mercury levels are highest in the muscle of beluga, but not at high enough concentrations to pose a threat to human health. Overall, she said mercury levels in the human population of the Inuvialuit Settlement Region are very low.

From the traditional knowledge side of the discussion, many representatives spoke about increasing youth involvement. Hank Rogers Sr. said he would have liked to see more young people attend the conference.

"The take-away for me has been learning more from what the youth learn from us," he said. "Which can help them move forward in what they want to do."

He also noted that having delegates from as many communities as possible showed that some still had much to learn when it came to safe hunting practices and processing methods, but that that was largely the point of the summit.

"I learned a lot from the communities, and it was nice to hear from them individually," said Loseto, adding that for her, one study in particular stood out. It was about how different processing methods - which vary between communities and families - have an impact on the nutrient and contaminant content of the meat.

"Everyone was very respectful and very engaged," she said. "Everyone wanted to share, and that's not something you see all the time."