Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

Coral Harbour (Apr 14/04) - The 2004 Southampton Island caribou harvest came to a successful end this past month near Coral Harbour.

Richard Connelly of the Coral Harbour Development Corp. says there were 3,200 caribou shot during the three-week hunt.

The animals provided about 70,000kg of meat to be processed at Kivalliq Arctic Foods in Rankin Inlet.

Connelly says the quota for this year's harvest was set based on the results of an aerial survey done during the spring of 2003.

"The quota was actually for 5,000 animals, but about 2,000 of them were put aside for the community," says Connelly.

"There was a herd of caribou on the same lake where we were stationed about four days after we had demobilized the camp, so there's lots of caribou around."

A land survey on the Southampton herd will begin later this month and extend into May.

Connelly says another aerial survey is scheduled to be conducted this coming year, which may lead to a higher quota being set.

"There is a chance the quota may go up a bit more for us again, but probably not as high as it has been in the past.

"We hope to see the quota at 4,000 for the 2005 harvest."

At its peak, the harvest employed 58 people this year and pumped almost $400,000 worth of wages into the community.

The wages are direct income, and do not include the merchandise and food purchased from Coral retailers for the camp.

A secondary market for harvest by-products is also starting to develop.

Connelly says the antlers collected from the 2003 hunt were sold about three weeks ago.

This year's antlers are also on their way south and should be sold within the next two weeks.

"We're requested to cut the antlers into little chunks, box them and ship them out.

"The antlers we collect are from younger animals and, after they're processed, I would hazard a guess the powder is used for soups and medicines.

"I don't ask for a specific purpose when I close a sale."