Sachs Harbour is located in the Inuvik region of the Northwest Territories, Canada and is situated on the southwestern coast of Banks Island in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region. According to the 2011 census, the population was 112 people. The principle languages spoken in the town are Inuvialuktan and English. The economy is primarily based upon hunting and trapping, but tourism also plays a small role. Residents also engage in ice fishing- harvesting fish from the Amundsen Gulf and Beaufort Sea. Banks Island is ecologically significant for being home to the largest goose colony in North America and is home to three quarters of the world’s population of muskoxen. Barren-ground caribou and polar bears are also seen on the island. On April 26, 2006, the world’s first documented wild-born grizzly-polar bear hybrid was shot near the town.
The town has a Visitor Reception Centre that presents the Aulavik National Park and Inuvialuit culture to visitors to the Banks island and serves as a center for community activities. The town is of historical significance for a number of ships sent out to the Arctic Bay by the British Admiralty to find the lost expedition of James Franklin that became trapped in the ice for three years and was abandoned by its crew. One ships primary investigator and captain was Robert McClure who was able to identify the fabled North West Passage- a waterway across the top of North America that would allow passage to Asia from Banks Island. Only few have made this passage since due to icy and dangerous waters, but as the earth warms there may be a day when this passage becomes common.
Sachs Harbour is in the Arctic tundra climate zone, which is characterized by long and extremely cold winters. Since many of the activities of the residents in the community revolve aroundfishing hunting,and travel, many residents have considerable knowledge of weather conditions, permafrost, and erosion patterns. Because of climate changes in recent years, many local residents fear that their knowledge of weather patterns may not be as useful as the weather becomes harder to predict. Since the climate has been changing, the sea ice is breaking up earlier than usual taking seals farther south in the summer. Seals are a main food source for the town. Climate change is bringing many other changes to the island’s ecology as well; salmon appeared for the first time in nearby waters between 1999 and 2001, new species of birds are migrating- including robins and barn swallows, and more flies and mosquitos have been appearing. Additionally, there is estimated to be 4 to 12 billion barrels of commercially recoverable oil in the Beaufort Sea and between 13 and 63 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. As the climate continues to warm it will be easier to access these resources, which could potentially damage the ecology of the island if not managed properly.
Citations
Babaluk , John A., James D. Reist, James D. Johnson, and Lionel Johnson. " First Records of Sockeye (Oncorhynchus nerka) and Pink Salmon (O. gorbuscha) from Banks Island and Other Records of Pacific Salmon in Northwest Territories, Canada." Http://pubs.aina.ucalgary.ca. June 2000. Accessed March 9, 2017. http://pubs.aina.ucalgary.ca/arctic/Arctic53-2-161.pdf.
Callow, Lin. "Oil and Gas Exploration & Development Activity Forecast." Http://www.beaufortrea.ca. March 2013. Accessed March 2017. http://www.beaufortrea.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/NCR-5358624-v4-BREA_-_FINAL_UPDATE_-_EXPLORATION_AND_ACTIVITY_FORECAST-__MAY_2013.pdf.
Canada, Government Of Canada Statistics. "Census Profile." Census Program. May 31, 2016. Accessed March 09, 2017. http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2011/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=CSD&Code1=6101041&Geo2=PR&Code2=61&Data=Count&SearchText=Sachs Harbour&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&B1=All&GeoLevel=PR&GeoCode=6101041&TABID=1.
"Observed Climate Change Impacts in Sachs Harbour, Canada." Observed Climate Change Impacts in Sachs Harbour, Canada. Accessed March 09, 2017. http://www.greenfacts.org/en/arctic-climate-change/toolboxes/observed-climate-change-impacts.htm.