In 2009, the governments of Canada and Nunavut and the Qikiqtani Inuit Association (QIA) signed a memorandum of understanding to begin assessing the feasibility of establishing a NMCA in Lancaster Sound.

[2] In 2010, Parks Canada announced a potential future boundary of 44,300 km2 (17,100 sq mi) for an NMCA in Lancaster Sound.

Additional studies and consultations were performed in the years that followed to determine what marine areas should be included or excluded from the proposed NMCA.

[2] In August 2019, the Government of Canada and the QIA announced the signing of an Inuit Impact and Benefit Agreement (IIBA), required for final establishment of Tallurutiup Imanga National Marine Conservation Area.

These small pockets of open water provide refuge for Arctic marine and bird species during winter months.