As caribou herds in the Northwest Territories continue to struggle with critically low populations, MLAs and environment officials are divided over the correct balance between conservation, hunting rights and development.
Officials with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (ENR) and the T艂谋台ch谦 Government presented a technical briefing on the territorySA国际影视传媒檚 Bathurst Caribou Management Plan and the 2021 barren ground caribou herd estimates to the Legislative AssemblySA国际影视传媒檚 Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment on March 10.
Both the Bathurst and Bluenose-East caribou herds populations have dropped dramatically in the past decade. The Bluenose-East herd has plummeted from 120,000 animals in 2010 to about 23,200 in 2021. The Bathurst herd dropped from more than 30,000 in 2012 to about 6,200 in 2021.
Tammy Steinwand, the T艂谋台ch谦 GovernmentSA国际影视传媒檚 director of culture and lands protection, said this population decline is due to a combination of factors, including increasing predator populations, changes to environment and development.
Some illegal hunting also still takes place. Steinwand said that 143 caribou were illegally hunted last year in the North Slave region.
Despite dwindling numbers, Steinwand said the Bluenose-East herd SA国际影视传媒渕ay be starting on the road to recovery.SA国际影视传媒� The situation is less optimistic for the Bathurst herd, which she said SA国际影视传媒渞emains a conservation concern.SA国际影视传媒�
Deh Cho MLA Ronald Bonnetrouge, who chaired the meeting in the absence of committee chair Jackie Jacobson, expressed concern about the conservation zoneSA国际影视传媒檚 impact on hunting rights. He raised the fact that the community of Wekweeti is located right in the middle of the caribou management zone, and asked how that communitySA国际影视传媒檚 needs were taken into consideration.
SA国际影视传媒淭heir staple is whatSA国际影视传媒檚 in their surroundings, in this case, caribou,SA国际影视传媒� he said.
Steinwand said the department is helping hunters to transition to other game, including rabbits, fish, moose, muskrats and other animals.
The Bathurst herd may soon face another challenge with the introduction of the Slave Geological Province Corridor. Frame Lake MLA Kevin OSA国际影视传媒橰eilly said NWT residents and officials would have to make a clear choice between conserving the caribou population and the new road.
SA国际影视传媒淸ItSA国际影视传媒檚] incompatible with the survival of the herd SA国际影视传媒� we canSA国际影视传媒檛 have both,SA国际影视传媒� he said.
Great Slave MLA Katrina Nokleby disagreed, saying itSA国际影视传媒檚 not an either or situation, but SA国际影视传媒渁 mitigation situation.SA国际影视传媒�
Both the Bathurst Caribou Management Plan and the 2021 barren ground caribou herd estimates can be found on ENRSA国际影视传媒檚 website.
A previous version of this story included the line: SA国际影视传媒淭he caribouSA国际影视传媒檚 habitat may soon face another challenge, with the introduction of the T艂谋台ch谦 all-season road.SA国际影视传媒� The caribou in question are those in the Bathurst herd, and road in question is actually the Slave Geological Province Corridor.
