Extensive consultations with Indigenous leaders, both in the year preceding the trip and during the expedition, shaped its research goals, methods, and locations studied, Knopp said. Their focus was on studying underwater habitat in four areas identified as potential Indigenous-led marine protected areas: western Hudson Bay, along the coast of Manitoba; Arviliit (Ottawa Islands) in the Nunavik Marine Region of eastern Hudson Bay; the Mushkegowuk Marine Region in southwestern Hudson Bay and western James Bay; and the Eeyou Marine Region in eastern James Bay.

During the expedition, pack ice, large storms, and uncharted waters prevented the team from entering into some parts of Hudson Bay and James Bay, but the team relied on Indigenous partners to guide them to alternative study locations during the trip.

The complex expedition included a 45-member crew on board the MV Polar Prince, from expedition leaders, scientists, videographers and divers to safety technicians, vessel crew, and a rotation of representatives from Oceans North, Students on Ice, and 26 Indigenous partners from local communities.

At each location, research divers descended to the sea floor, where they identified organisms in specific areas and photographed them or brought them to the surface for additional study. Once identified, organisms were returned alive back to the sea. Safety precautions meant that divers were limited to three one-hour dives per day in the icy cold water. Underwater photography and filming were a crucial part of this process as well.

Even though James Bay is known to be murky, divers encountered “crystal clear” areas despite the silty bottom. “There were huge kelp growths,” Knopp said. “And even in places with fine silt, we saw starfish and sea urchins attached to every rock.”

Remotely operated vehicles were also used to photograph the sea floors. In James Bay, Knopp said the silty bottom looked like “a moonscape,” with bright orange starfish, anemones, and tiny coral and sponges about every 10 metres, and soft corals and sponges attached to rocks protruding from the silt.

For the first time, samples from organisms in James Bay and eastern Hudson Bay were also collected for DNA barcoding.

Before this expedition, underwater research had never been conducted in Arviliit, an archipelago of 24 islands in the Nunavik Marine Region of northeastern Hudson Bay. In these pristine waters, divers discovered that every underwater surface was covered with an array of organisms, from kelp and anemones to urchins, sea cucumbers, mussels and corals, including many bright orange and pink creatures. Many species of fish and seabirds were also documented in this hotspot of biological diversity. And above the surface, the team encountered marine mammals such as walrus, seals, and large numbers of polar bears.

“It was really amazing to see so many polar bears looking so healthy,” Knopp said.

Researchers created an inventory of more than 200 groups of organisms during the expedition. Indigenous partners have been “fascinated” by the report’s remarkable gallery of photos of the rich, underwater marine life in these regions, as well as the documentary showcasing their efforts and visions for Indigenous-led conservation in Hudson and James Bay, Knopp said. The expedition continued into 2023, with filming in communities around the bays and with Indigenous conservation leaders to create the full-feature documentary. The documentary is expected to be released in 2025.

“My hope is that this research will support full, ecosystem-based protection for these regions,” she said. “Now that we have seen much more of what’s there, people will want to protect it even more.”

Ruth Teichroeb is a regular contributor to Oceans North and is former communications director. She is based in Sidney, B.C.