Arctic Connections

Ocean Wise Arctic Connections initiative bridges southern and northern perspectives, knowledge and ideas. Our goal is to create greater awareness and understanding of important issues that affect both northern and southern Canadians, and to create a place for respectful, solutions-oriented dialogue.

Home

Arctic Connections

Ocean Wise study: Synthetic fibers are invading the Arctic

January 12, 2021

Aquablog, Arctic Connections, Research - Arctic, Research - Plastics, Research Initiative - Plastics Lab, Research Initiative - Plastics Lab

Ocean Wise has produced the most comprehensive study to date on Arctic Ocean microplastics. And the results are troubling. Synthetic fibers make up approximately 92% of microplastic pollution found in near-...

Quiet Oceans: Has the COVID-19 crisis reduced noise in whale habitats?

April 11, 2020

Arctic Connections, Inuit, Ocean Wise, Research - Arctic, Research Initiative - Arctic Lab, Research Initiative - Biology, Ecology, and Health of Marine Mammals, Research Site - CORI, Whale Sightings

By Dr. Valeria VergaraOcean Wise Marine Mammal Conservation Research Program Photo credit: Valeria Vergara In September 2001, during the aftermath of 9/11, much of the coastal ocean around North Ameri...

Pilot Program Conducts Ocean Plastics Workshop with Youth from Nunavut’s Pond Inlet

October 4, 2019

Aquablog, Arctic Connections, Ikaarvik, Indigenous youth, Inuit, Ocean Wise, Research - Arctic, Research - Plastics

By Kristin Westdal, Arctic field research director for Oceans North, and Eric Solomon, director of Arctic programs, Ocean Wise The problem of plastic and microplastic pollution is in the news almost weekly ...

Diving in the Arctic Unknown

August 22, 2018

Aquablog, Arctic Connections, Vancouver Aquarium

A specialized team of diving researchers from Ocean Wise is wrapping up a trip to the High Arctic this week, diving at underwater sites near Resolute, Nunavut that have never been explored before, and documenti...

Innovation in the High Arctic

August 14, 2018

Aquablog, Arctic Connections, Vancouver Aquarium

This summer, Ocean Wise has officially joined forces with One Ocean Expeditions (OOE) with the goal of expanding our joint education and research programs around the world on select OOE voyages. After nearly...

Wild Canadian Coastlines

June 29, 2018

Aquablog, Arctic Connections, Education, Ocean Wise, Vancouver Aquarium

Over the last year, I visited two magical places in Canada. Last August, I traveled through the Canadian High Arctic with the Students on Ice expedition. In May, I visited the beautiful islands of Haida Gwaii w...

Celebrating Ice Algae on Polar Bear Day

February 27, 2018

Aquablog, Arctic Connections, Ocean Wise

Polar bears sure are getting a lot of attention these days. In fact, today is International Polar Bear Day. We think that’s fine. After all, polar bears are amazing animals, at once cute and deadly, and arguabl...

What Counts as “Arctic?”

February 12, 2018

Aquablog, Arctic Connections

I’m in a village called Salluit, in a region of northern Quebec called Nunavik, on the edge of the Hudson Strait. It’s -24 C. There’s snow on the ground. The ocean is frozen. I’m just south of the Arctic Circle...