KANGIQTUGAAPIK/CLYDE RIVER - After decades of lobbying, Clyde River is on the verge of having the world's first bowhead whale sanctuary established in nearby Isabella Bay.

A feast of char and narwhal maktaaq awaits Kangiqtugaapimmiut as they celebrate the imminent establishment of the Niginganiq National Wildlife Area. - photo courtesy of Qikiqtani Inuit Association

The Niginganiq National Wildlife Area was announced last year as part of the ratification of the Inuit Impact Benefit Agreement by the federal government. Though the protected area still has to be ratified by an act of Parliament later, Clyde River celebrated the first anniversary of the IIBA's approval Friday, Aug. 7.

"The residents of Clyde River have worked over 20 years on this initiative," said James Eetoolook, vice-president of Nunavut Tunngavik. "We are all delighted to be here today to celebrate their efforts.”

The Nunavut Wildlife Management Board will consider the exact boundaries in September, according to information from Nunavut Tunngavik.

The celebration was supposed to take place Thursday, but the frequent seasonal fog of the area prevented airplane access.

Nonetheless, the celebrations brought VIPs from all over Nunavut and other parts of Canada to Clyde River to celebrate with the community and to see the 360,000-hectare area. Expected guests included Nunavut Commissioner Ann Hanson, representatives of Inuit land-claims organizations from across the territory, members of World Wildlife Fund and a boatload of students and educators from Students On Ice as their ship tours the Arctic. However, the latter group had to miss the celebration because their ship's route to Clyde River was blocked by sea ice in Davis Strait.

NTI brought in country foods from all over Nunavut including six caribou from Whale Cove and muskox from the Kitikmeot region, according to NTI's negotiator Bruce Uviliq.

NTI's president Paul Kaludjak anticipated the sanctuary will have a number of long-term benefits for the community, including the employment managing the sanctuary. Clyde River is directly involved in looking after the area for the next seven years according to the agreement, after which it can be renegotiated. Another benefit would be tourism.

"We think this will be an international opportunity for people from all over the world to come and see the whales," said Kaludjak.

Ninginganiq is a summer feeding ground for bowhead whales, which were hunted in great numbers by industrial whalers in the 18th and 19th centuries. The mouth of the bay is a shallow shelf, which helps keep killer whales away according to info from the World Wildlife Fund.

It's estimated there are around 1,500-2,000 bowheads in Davis Strait and Baffin Bay.

Although it's frequently billed as a sanctuary just for bowhead whales, other wildlife may benefit, such as polar bears. Kaludjak said he was told 2007's Students On Ice expedition saw 50 bears in the area.

"This is an excellent example of an Inuit-led and Inuit-championed effort to protect the environment of a threatened species brought to the brink of extinction by non-aboriginal, commercial whalers," said Arlin Hackman, WWF Canada's vice-president of conservation. "We applaud their determination to preserving their natural heritage on behalf of all Canadians."