Photo: Bowhead whales feed on fish in Cumberland Sound

After a guided boat trip to Kekerten Territorial Park near Pangnirtung, photographer Sarah McMahon and visiting family members happened upon a pod of bowhead whales feeding on fish in Cumberland Sound. “We floated in the boat watching the whales flip, roll and lift their heads,” said McMahon. “It was a pure magical moment.” Bowheads were nearly devastated by the whaling industry which peaked at the end of the 19th century. In 1979, Canada banned bowhead whaling altogether. The species rebounded and Inuit earned the right to traditionally harvest one whale in 1996. Today, Inuit can harvest three bowheads annually, one for each region. Ottawa is currently considering a request to increase that quota to four animals to allow the Baffin region to harvest two. The Kivalliq region is also hoping to increase their regional allotment to two. (PHOTO BY SARAH MCMAHON)