Arctic Char (Salvelinus alpinus) swim in the cleanest and coldest Northern waters of the world. Nunavut Inuit call them Iqaluk (1 fish) or Iqaluit (many fish). For thousands of years, char has been a staple of their diet because of its abundance, wide distribution and relative ease to catch. In addition to being a highly nutritious and healthy food, the fish’s elastic skins were used to repair kayaks and to make bags for sewing items or tools.

Wild char in Nunavut are anadromous, or searun. Searun char migrate to the sea to feed on rich foods in the summer and return to the freshwaters to lay their eggs in winter. This migration pattern results in a larger fish with meat that is redder in colour than char from other parts of the world, and a taste that is unarguably superior.

Arctic char belong to the Char group of the salmon family and generally weigh between 2.8 to 5.5 kg (whole) as adults. Nunavut char are brilliant in colour, sporting shades of luminescent blue and green with large violet-pink spots scattered along their sides. Spawning males are vibrant red.

Today, Inuit families continue to embrace the sea’s bounty while retaining the traditional principles of sustainability and respect for the environment. Commercial quotas are only established once the subsistence needs of the community have been met.