YELLOWKNIFE (January 28, 2015) – Political leaders from the Northwest Territories, Aboriginal Governments and wildlife management authorities have worked together on management actions including the establishment of a mobile conservation area to protect the Bathurst caribou herd and a limited harvest to help conserve the Bluenose-East herd.

Leaders and wildlife management authorities have met several times since August to consider actions for the 2014-15 harvest season to help the herd recover.

“Progress has been made in a number of areas to ensure the recovery and conservation of these barren-ground caribou herds for present and future generations, including support for the concept of a mobile caribou conservation area,” said Environment and Natural Resources(ENR) Minister J. Michael Miltenberger.  “We will continue to work together with leaders and wildlife management authorities to implement the management actions.”

Immediate management actions for the Bathurst herd are:

• Establishment of a Mobile Core Bathurst Caribou Conservation Area where no harvesting is permitted.
• The locations of the mobile conservation area will be updated weekly and made available to communities and posted on the ENR website.
• Limited harvest of up to 15 bulls from the Bathurst herd for community ceremonial purposes, on a proposal basis.

Immediate management actions for the Bluenose-East herd are:

• Limited harvest of 1,800 animals with an 80 percent bull harvest.  Total allocation of harvest to be determined.
• Authorizations required for harvest in Wildlife Management Units R/BC/01, R/BC/02, R/BC/03, S/BC/03 and D.
• Continue harvest monitoring partnerships with Aboriginal governments and organizations.
• Increased enforcement of the harvest as recommended by the Advisory Committee for Cooperation on Wildlife Management.

Regulations to implement these actions come into effect this week.

These actions will be reviewed and amended, as appropriate, once the results of the 2015 spring photographic survey of the Bluenose-East and Bathurst herds are available.

Leaders reached agreement on intermediate and long term management actions including:

• Increased predator management measures as requested by communities.
• Establish a Bathurst caribou management process and plan.
• Continue work on a Bathurst caribou range plan and cumulative effects program.
• Support the ACCWM’s development of an action plan for the Bluenose-East to guide future management actions.
• Organize “Sight your Rifle” events in regions and communities.
• Develop vegetation mapping protocols, monitoring protocols and partnership agreements to ensure habitat conservations.
• Address Bluenose-East caribou harvest in Nunavut.
• Work together to develop public information tools to promote responsible harvesting practices and harvest management.

For more information, contact: 

Roya Grinsted
Communications Officer
Government of the Northwest Territories
Tel: 867-669-2308
Email: roya_grinsted@gov.nt.ca

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