Coral Harbour hunters request caribou harvest limits

Members of the Coral Harbour Hunters and Trappers Organization say their 2011-2012 harvest of the Southampton Island caribou population is well above its sustainable limit.

To learn more about how many caribou there are on the island, an aerial survey is planned for this month, Nunavut Environment Minister James Arreak told the Nunavut legislative assembly June 5.

Meanwhile “the HTO formally requested that I establish a total allowable harvest and non-quota limitations for 2012-2013 harvest year,” he said.

The Nunavut Wildlife Management Board is currently reviewing that request.

Arreak said scientific findings and local observations have seen a “drastic decline” in the Southampton caribou population. Other problems include reduced overall health and productivity.

The June 2011 aerial survey estimated there were only about 7,700 caribou in the herd, down from 30,000 in 1997.

This represents a reduction of more than 75 per cent in 14 years, Arreak said.

In the 1960s, over-hunting nearly wiped out the caribou on Southampton Island. Twenty-four caribou were re-introduced to the island in the 1980s, when they flourished.

By the late 1990s, the population estimate fluctuated between 30,000 and 60,000, and a commercial hunt was proposed to stabilize their growing numbers.

“I wish to acknowledge the support of HTO and the community of Coral Harbour of addressing [this issue of population numbers],” Arreak said.

A land survey, on the other hand, would be cheaper and just as effective, Nanulik MLA Johnny Ningeongan said.

“It has been proven that they would do a land survey of caribou because it’s a lot more expensive doing aerial surveys and the numbers are pretty close when they do a survey by land and by air.”

Arreak said his department would consider a land survey and let the members of the HTO in Coral Harbour know if there were any changes in the plan.

In the near future he said be hoped that he will be able to report better health for the caribou.

“We are, and will continue to be, committed to working collaboratively with our co-management partners to sustain the wildlife on which all of Nunavummiut depend,” Arreak said.