Fish and marine mammals represent an important source of nutrients for many Indigenous communities in Canada and contribute to food security, particularly in remote northern regions. Beyond their nutritional value, country foods also have strong sociocultural and spiritual significance and remain central to community wellbeing.

At the same time, environmental change is rapidly transforming Arctic and Subarctic ecosystems. Northern warming and greening, shifting snowpack dynamics, and disturbances such as wildfires, logging, and hydroelectric development can influence the cycling and bioavailability of mercury (Hg) in aquatic environments. In these systems, mercury can be converted into methylmercury (MeHg), a highly bioaccumulative neurotoxin that may increase in predatory fish and affect food webs from zooplankton to top predators.

Through our partnerships with Indigenous communities, we support collaborative and community-informed research to better understand the links between ecosystem change, contaminant exposure, and the safety and sustainability of country foods. Our work combines field observations, ecological and microbial approaches, and targeted assessments to help inform decision-making and promote healthier ecosystems and communities.