Fewer animals may turn hunters into guides for arctic tourists
Kerry McCluskey
Northern News Services
Iqaluit (Nov 20/00) - Unless an alternative source of income is found, the outlook is bleak for those who make their living as guides for polar bear sport hunters in the Kitikmeot region.
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A moratorium is being considered because new population estimates indicate there may be fewer than 300 bears living in the M'Clintock Channel polar bear management zone.
Shared by hunters from Gjoa Haven, Taloyoak and Cambridge Bay, the zone was originally thought to be home to as many as 700 bears. Based on that estimate, an annual quota of 32 bears was set for both local and sport hunters.
If the population is as low as it is now thought to be and a moratorium goes through, or if the quota is significantly reduced, the the impact will be far-reaching.
"It will be really bad for my family if they stop sending Amercians for the polar bear hunts," said Konana, a guide for the last 13 years.
"It will be really hard for most of us guides."
A hunt is worth more than $10,000 to the guides who lead at least one per year. Konana said he didn't know how he would replace the income he will lose if the sport hunts are called off.
"I don't know what else I would do," he said.
"I don't think I would have anything else."
The zone draws 12 to 14 American sport hunters each year. Lost income could top $300,000 for the three communities.
New population estimates
Steven Atkinson, director of wildlife services for Nunavut's department of sustainable development, said the new population estimate was arrived at when year three of the mark-recapture and radio collar telemetry studies wrapped up this spring.
"We're confident with what we've found over the last three years, that the population is considerably smaller than what we thought," said Atkinson.
"It's about half the size. Based on that, we've got concerns," he said.
Atkinson said the government presented their findings to the affected communities, but wanted to give them time to absorb the information and the opportunity to discuss it at the annual general meetings of the hunters and trappers associations. He said the next step would be too pull the three hamlets together for a meeting in early December.
Traditional knowledge
The president of the Kitikmeot Hunters and Trappers Association said hunters were consulted earlier this fall and confirmed that there are fewer bears.
"What I've heard is there is a possible decrease. I believe the (hunters) are right because they're out there hunting year after year, seeing what's happening," said Phillip Kadlun, from Kugluktuk.
Kadlun said the three HTAs are discussing the issue at this month and will decide what to do at a collective meeting next month.
Possible options
Michelle Wheatley of the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board -- the agency responsible for setting and changing quotas in Nunavut -- said the situation can't be ignored.
Refusing to take action could result in a total moratorium.
"If the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has the opinion the population is not being managed sustainably or if they lose confidence in our management methods, we could lose all of the areas approved (for sport hunts)," said Wheatley.
"If that was ever removed, it would be an economic disaster," she said.
Glenn Williams, Nunavut Tunngavik's wildlife advisor, said the issue is conservation; the remaining bear population would be harmed if the hunts proceed in the same manner.
While hunters and guides wait for a decision, Williams said the government and the territory's wildlife organizations must consider ways to replace the lost income.
"Some of the options will be compensation packages. That's not necessarily cash, but we're looking at discussions about training. These guys want to work so what's the alternative employment for them," said Williams.
One logical solution he said was to develop their skills as tourism operators and to market the area to vacationers.
