Year: 2003
Abstract:
The purpose of this traditional foods study was to "provide baseline information regarding trace concentrations of metals in First Nation traditional foods to which impacts of future development activities can be compared, and to identify traditional use resources and food gathering areas." This study, which includes the First Nations of Fort McMurray and Chipewyan Prairie, is meant to complement an earlier northern study that had included the communities of Fort McKay and Fort Chipewyan. For information on trace metals in traditional foods, the literature reviewed included six environmental impact assessments, a report by the Trace Metals and Air Contaminants Working Group, several reports from the Northern River Basin Study, the NRBS Human Health Monitoring Program report, the Aquatic Resource Management Study report, the Lesko Study report, and the RAMP Report on Chemical and Biological Monitoring. A summary of metal contaminants found is provided for each report. For information on traditional use resources and food gathering areas, the authors also reviewed six environmental impact assessments, three traditional land use and occupancy studies done for the Forest management Task Force, and the Northern River Basins Study. The traditional use and knowledge, concerns, and recommendations from each are summarized. A section on information gaps notes that very little monitoring of metals in wildlife, fish, and vegetation has been done south of Fort McMurray. Indeed, there is very little information from which to build a baseline assessment. RAMP and TEEM do not actively monitor in the study area. The possibility for exposure to contaminants identified in environmental impact assessments was not followed up with sampling. No dietary studies have been completed on communities in the area. Furthermore, TLU studies done with Fort McMurray First Nation and Chipewyan Prairie First Nation have been industry initiated and may not reflect all the traditional knowledge available. Likewise, GIS data from ANDC/AlPac is ten years out of date and needs to be cleaned up to be usable. The report provides several recommendations towards completing a baseline study of the region and identifies gaps in the traditional knowledge presented in environmental impact assessments that should be filled to assist in the design of broader environment management programmes.
