The North Water Polynya called Pikialasorsuaq (the Great Upwelling) in Greenlandic, is one of the planet’s most productive ocean areas. An open-water area surrounded by ice in northern Baffin Bay, its nutrient rich water supports an abundance of marine life, including narwhal, walrus, seals and polar. The North Water Polynya is dependent on consistent ice conditions and is now threatened by climate change. Inuit communities on both sides of Baffin Bay (Nunavut, Canada and Greenland) rely on the North Water Polynya’s natural wealth as many species that feed in and migrate through the area support villages that are located hundreds and even thousands of kilometres away. We are working with organizations, local and regional Inuit groups and governments to protect the North Water Polynya and to understand the potential effects of climate and ocean change.