The Tłı̨chǫ Aquatic Ecosystem Monitoring Program (TAEMP) is to continue to build and maintain a successful community-based monitoring program that meets the needs of the Tłı̨chǫ people in determining whether fish, water, and sediment quality are changing over time, and whether fish and water remain safe to consume. The TAEMP rotates science-based fish, water and sediment sampling through each of the four Tłı̨chǫ communities so that every community has samples collected and analysed once every four years.

For the 2019 TAEMP we added 7 new locations to the previous 5 for a total of 12 sites, at the 7 new sites we collected surface grab samples and 2 sediment cores that will hopefully provide a snapshot of the sediment deposits in those locations for the past 100 years.

Through the years of the TAEMP and sharing of Traditional and Scientific Knowledge our camps have expanded from the Question of: “Are the fish safe to eat and is the water sate to drink” to also include how much will this Development change the environment, wildlife and habitat, What can I do, what do we do, how do we monitor the environment, will the fish and water be safe to consume?

For more information please contact Sean Richardson.