Nunavik now open to beluga hunting

Nunavik’s beluga hunt is now open — not just in the Hudson Strait, which opened June 1, but also along the Hudson and Ungava Bay coasts.

However, most Nunavik beluga hunters will be obliged to travel to the Hudson Strait to hunt.

A Department of Fisheries notice to hunters, sent out after 5:00 p.m. June 23 — too late to be posted throughout Nunavik before today’s June 24 holiday in Quebec — spelled out the quotas for the Eastern Hudson Bay, Ungava Bay, Long Island and James Bay areas for 2011.

From June 24 to Nov. 30, hunters can take nine belugas from the Eastern Hudson Bay — down from 21 in 2010, and 31 from Long Island and James Bay — up from 21 in 2010.

From June 24 to Aug. 31, hunters can take 10 belugas from Ungava Bay.

Hunters can take up to 190 belugas from the Hudson Strait, which opened June 1 and lasts until Aug. 31.

And the fall hunt will see an additional quota of 75 for the Hudson Strait — up from 46 last year.

The Nottingham Islands, Ottawa Islands, Mucalic, Nastapoka and Little Whale River estuary remain closed to all beluga hunting.

The Nunavik Marine Region Wildlife Board also sent out an email notice June 23, after the DFO’s notice — an email sent out in English only, with apologies from the board’s secretary Mark O’Connor— to explain how communities would see the quotas divvied up.

O’Connor said that the overall increase in beluga harvests — to 315 from 267 in 2010 — had been made possible by directing a large portion of the beluga hunt towards the Hudson Strait.

“[But] this implies a great deal of coordination both within and between communities,” he said in the email.

With a quota of only nine belugas for the eastern Hudson Bay communities, O’Connor said hunters will have to “closely monitor and communicate their communities’ harvests.”

“Similarly, it will be important for hunters visiting Hudson Strait communities to coordinate with local hunters in order to ensure that local values and practices are upheld, especially with regard to the wastage of meat that is left behind as has been the case in past years,” he said.

Of the 315, Ungava Bay communities split a quota of 94, with 20 going to both Kangisualujjuaq and Kangirsuk, 30 to Kuujjuaq, and 12 each for Tasiujaq and Aupaluk.

The Hudson Strait communities split a quota of 105, with 25 each for Quaqtaq, Kangiqsujuaq and Ivujivik and 30 to Salluit.

The eastern Hudson Bay communities split a quota of 116, with 30 going to both Puvirnituq and Inukjuak, 20 to Akulivik and 18 each to Umiujaq and Kuujjuaraapik.

Hunters must also abide by the Marine Mammal Regulations, O’Connor said.

These state that all belugas must be harpooned before shooting and that rifles used must produce muzzle energy of at least 1,500 foot pounds.

Those regulations also say the hunting of beluga calves and of females accompanied by calves is prohibited.

As such, the Nunavik wildlife board “must recommend that hunters target white males whenever possible and refrain from harvesting dark grey calves or their mothers.”

The wildlife board planned to send out Inuktitut notices to all Nunavik communities showing the full breakdown of the beluga hunt on June 27.