NTI supports river closure — to a point

MIRIAM HILL

Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated says it supports the Amarok Hunters and Trappers Association’s decision to ban fishing and boating on the Sylvia Grinnell River for its members. But when it comes to non-members, the waters aren’t so clear.

Paul Kaludjak, NTI’s vice-president of finance, said the land claims organization generally follows and supports the decisions made by HTAs and communities, and lends support to their initiatives on a regular basis.

“Through the land claims, the HTA is delegated certain duties — we call it Designated Inuit Organizations — under that clause. They can pretty much function mostly focused on wildlife matters and when it comes to measuring protection of wildlife we leave that responsibility to them,” he said. “We generally expect them to make whatever decision they have to make when they try to protect wildlife at any level.”

But the Sylvia Grinnell River closure issue is unique, he admitted. In December, the HTA voted to close the river to all boating and fishing in an effort to rebuild depleted stocks of Arctic Char.

Kayakers and a jet boat tour operator who use the river during the summer months were not pleased with the decision. At a public meeting last month, the HTA explained the reasons behind the closure and listened to concerns from the public. At the meeting, members voted to ban net fishing in the area of river above the falls to the Sylvia Grinnell Lake and all snagging anywhere on the river. Angling and netting will still be allowed in certain areas marked by the HTA, but boating will not be allowed.

The HTA has the ability to institute such bans for its membership, but to impose them on non-members is not as easy, as the Sylvia Grinnell River is a navigable river and thus falls under the jurisdiction of the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans.

“When it comes to water that is usable by boat or other means, different authorities usually kick in, like Coast Guard, DFO, those authorities,” Kaludjak said. “In that regard, the HTA would have a limit in their authority in governing use of water because it’s water that is navigable — water where people can go and use that route. That would be the only catch to the system.”

Kaludjak said resolution can only come with a joint agreement between the HTA, the Nunavut Water Board, DFO and the Coast Guard. The HTA has said it will work with the federal government agencies to put a ban in place, but it could take years.

“The firmest [stance] we can take is to support the HTA’s cause,” Kaludjak said. That means that NTI will support the restocking of the river’s char population, if it’s possible.

DFO will begin a three-year a study in the river this summer to update information on the fish stocks.