Hunting rules thwarted again

JOHN THOMPSON

The Nunavut Wildlife Management Board cancelled a special meeting in Iqaluit last week because of problems translating documents into Inuktitut.

That delays what could be the most important meeting in the board’s history, at least according to its critics. That’s because the meeting could bring into force regulations for Nunavut’s Wildlife Act for the first time.

Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. wants many proposed regulations scrapped in favour of more local control.

Some proposed regulations on the meeting’s agenda include total allowable harvests on Peary caribou and muskox, which would limit the number of those animals Inuit may hunt annually.

There’s also a host of other proposed hunting restrictions, such as a ban on the use of small-calibre ammunition while hunting bear, moose and muskox, and a ban on using dogs while hunting caribou and muskox.

Another proposal would make violating certain Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit principles a punishable offence.

NTI argues in a submission to the NWMB that these regulations in some cases violate the Nunavut land claims agreement, and in other cases lack supporting evidence.

As well, both sides disagree on the definition of a “valid conservation purpose,” which is needed to establish a total allowable harvest.

Decisions made at the upcoming meeting are especially important, NTI warns, because they will set a precedent for how future regulations are developed.

At the top of NTI’s list of concerns are the proposed total allowable harvests for Peary caribou and muskox — restrictions that NTI describes as “premature” and unsupported by evidence.

NTI also disagrees with the number of distinct Peary caribou and muskox populations identified by staff at the Government of Nunavut.

GN staff suggest setting total allowable harvests of Peary caribou at 14 on Bathurst Island Archipelago, two on West Devon, and 50 on Ellesmere and Axel Heiberg islands. They recommend restricting hunting entirely on Somerset and Prince of Wales islands, and on North Devon.

Current counts suggest there are about 8,000 Peary caribou across the High Arctic today.

Rather than have total allowable harvests set by the NMWB, NTI supports restrictions created by hunters and trappers organizations and regional wildlife organizations.

In the case of Peary caribou, hunters in Grise Fiord and Resolute Bay have voluntarily restricted hunting for 15 years, and received international recognition from the Wildlife Society for their efforts in 1994.

For muskox, proposed total allowable harvests range from 358 for mainland Kitikmeot and 101 for mainland Kivalliq to zero for areas such as Devon Island, where populations have dwindled to low levels.

GN staff also propose a system that would encourage hunters to harvest more male muskox than females, to help sustain population levels.

They also recommend establishing a muskox hunting season from Oct. 1 to April 15 for mainland Kitikmeot, mainland Kivalliq and Boothia Peninsula.

Other limits would restrict the way Inuit hunt animals.

For example, hunting muskox and caribou with dogs is currently prohibited, and the GN recommends keeping that ban in place. NTI counters that Inuit have used dogs to harvest muskox for a long time, without any evidence of harm to the populations.

Other proposed limits include banning ammunition of less than .243 calibre to harvest bear, moose or muskox. GN staff support the proposed ban for humane reasons.

NTI counters there’s no proof that small-calibre weapons are cruel to animals, and that hunters use the weapons to preserve skins.

The GN also recommends banning pull-weight crossbows, and non-projectile weapons deemed “non-traditional.” NTI says there is no justification for these limits on Inuit.

Another proposal would make violating certain principles of Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit a punishable offence.

The IQ principles are: show no malice towards animals, cause no unnecessary suffering, treat animals respectfully, and maintain and improve skills through experience and practice.

NTI questions how these rules will be interpreted by wildlife officers, “many of whom are non-Inuit or lacking in experience to interpret and enforce IQ principles knowledgeably.”

“How would a court decide whether wildlife has been treated ‘respectfully’? When could a wildlife officer charge an individual for not practicing his skills enough?” asks NTI’s submission.

“NTI is very concerned that this effort to recognize and respect Inuit cultural values could in fact result in Inuit values being undermined, and Inuit harvesters punished unfairly as a result.”

The GN also proposes a ban on hunting polar bear cubs, females with cubs, and females in dens — a limit that NTI says should be set locally by HTOs or RWOs.

Other proposed restrictions could outlaw the hunting of some birds of prey, such as gyrfalcons and peregrine falcons, for fear that Nunavut birds could be sold on the large black market for live-captured birds sold for falconry.

NTI agrees a total allowable harvest should be set on Peregrine falcons, but wants RWOs to set the limit themselves.

The GN has also requested a ban on the harvesting of a rare kind of moss, called Porsild’s bryum.

The NWMB is expected to set a new date for the special meeting in June. Submissions can be viewed on the board’s website, at www.nwmb.com.