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Plans for 2020 archaeological fieldwork shift at the wrecks of HMS Erebus and HMS Terror

CNW - The story of Sir John Franklin's 1845 quest for the Northwest Passage with HMS Erebus and HMS Terror continues to captivate the imagination of many here in Canada and around the world.
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This officer’s boot, was found in an officer’s cabin on the port side of the lower deck. HMS Erebus,
This officer’s boot, was found in an officer’s cabin on the port side of the lower deck. HMS Erebus, was designed to keep its owner’s feet warm despite the cold Arctic temperatures. It is narrow and has a squared tip, however, indicating that it was also designed to be in line with the fashion of the times. Parks Canada photo

CNW - The story of Sir John Franklin's 1845 quest for the Northwest Passage with HMS Erebus and HMS Terror continues to captivate the imagination of many here in Canada and around the world. In 2019, Parks Canada and Inuit partners conducted important research on the wrecks, contributing to a better understanding of the Franklin Expedition.

Friday. the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, Jonathan Wilkinson, and the Franklin Interim Advisory Committee (FIAC), announced that Parks Canada will temporarily shift its focus for exploration of the wrecks of HMS Erebus and HMS Terror to advancing research, in collaboration with Inuit, on the many artifacts recovered during the 2019 research season.

Parks Canada is following the advice of public health experts and continuing to make every effort to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), while keeping Nunavut and its residents safe. As such, fieldwork operations at the wrecks have been cancelled for 2020, as they would have required close contact between travelling research staff and residents of isolated northern communities, presenting increased risk for the transmission of COVID-19.

This decision follows advice from Joint Inuit / Government Planning and Management Committees for all Nunavut national parks, which were overwhelmingly in favour of keeping Nunavut parks and sites closed to visitors and all non-essential work until August 31, 2020, with the exception of Inuit exercising rights under the Nunavut Agreement. Passenger vessels with the capacity to carry more than 12 persons are prohibited from entering Arctic coastal waters (including Nunatsiavut, Nunavik and the Labrador Coast) until October 31, 2020.

While Parks Canada will not conduct field research at the Wrecks of HMS Erebus and HMS Terror in 2020, the Agency will advance plans in collaboration with Inuit for the 2021 research season. Parks Canada's Underwater Archaeology Team may also move forward in 2020 with other projects aboard the RV David Thompson - Parks Canada's newest research vessel. These potential activities in southern Canada may include projects that support Parks Canada's archaeological, climate change and biological research, new protected area establishment and outreach initiatives.