Commercial muskox harvest cancelled
Hunt ends after GNWT determines company not-profitable
Cody Punter
Northern News Services
Published Monday, October 21, 2013
IKAAHUK/SACHS HARBOUR
For the first time in three years, the commercial muskox harvest has been cancelled in Sachs Harbour.
Muskox will not be hunted commercially in Sachs Harbour this year, which the community says is bad for people who need the work. - NNSL file photo |
The last commercial harvesting company went bankrupt four years ago, but was taken over by the NWT under its Business Development Investment Corporation (BDIC), said Vernon Amos, president of the Sachs Harbour Hunters and Trappers Committee.
According to Amos, the BDIC made an agreement to keep the company that was created as a result of the takeover running for five years.
However after just three years of operation the government determined the business was not profitable enough and decided to cancel the agreement, said Amos.
"It's really unfortunate because we were nearly at the point where we could run a sustainable operation, but we weren't given the opportunity to do that," said Amos.
Amos pointed out that there is a large commercial market for muskox with some sweaters selling for as much as $2,200.
Amos said the community will look at exploring other avenues for having a limited commercial muskox hunt in the future.
"Jobs here are very hard to come by, they are very few and far between," said Amos. "This leaves us in a very, very bad position."
