The Arctic is one of the most affected regions by climate change, globally. This has manifested itself by notable changes in cryospheric, atmospheric, and oceanographic dynamics, such as the reduction of sea ice and associated atmospheric feedbacks that have increased air and sea surface temperatures. Accordingly, hydro-ecological studies project increases in primary productivity driven by greater riverine or terrestrial nutrient runoff and solar irradiance. This has significant implications for Arctic marine food webs and fisheries management, as any shift in primary productivity can cause ecological cascades within the greater Arctic ecosystem. However, the lack of highly resolved long-term instrumental data from many Arctic regions limits our ability to track inter-annual variability in hydro-ecological dynamics prior to the satellite record (1979-present). Here, we present annually-resolved barium/calcium and stable carbon isotope ratios (Ba/Ca and δ13C) records from coralline red algae specimens (Clathromorphum compactum) collected in Lancaster Sound, Nunavut, Canada. These proxy data suggest larger and longer-lasting phytoplankton blooms over the last 30 years. We also demonstrate 200 years of primary productivity variability and its links to atmospheric, cryospheric and oceanographic trends. We compare these data to those derived from C. compactum specimens collected in other regions including glacially impacted sites in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago and Svalbard, as well as subarctic sites in the Labrador Sea. We conclude by discussing the implications of these findings for fisheries management and Indigenous livelihoods.