Kevin Wilson
Northern News Services

Spence Bay (Sep 24/01) - The Department of Fisheries and Oceans has sent officials into Taloyoak to investigate allegations that whalers in the community have overharvested narwhal.

Two DFO officers were in the community Sept. 13 and 14 to investigate.

DFO received a report that members of the Taloyoak Hunters and Trappers Association have harvested 14 narwhals. The community is only permitted to harvest 10 of the tusked whales each year.

Karen Ditz, a fisheries management biologist for DFO in Iqaluit, confirmed that officers were in the community.

"It's currently under investigation, and we can't talk about the specifics of the investigation," said Ditz.

Residents have reported seeing unusually large concentrations of the tusked whales in the Gulf of Boothia this season.

Normally, in such a situation the community HTO would request the transfer of tags from another community that hunts the same narwhal population. However, Gjoa Haven, which also hunts narwhals from the same population has been reluctant to share its quota.

Ditz said such a transfer arrangement must also be made prior to landing the animal.

Taloyoak HTO chair Abel Aqqaq was unavailable to confirm whether there had been an overharvest. However, during an earlier interview last week, Aqqaq told News/North that he wanted "these guys to be able to keep their tusks."

While not commenting on the specifics of the case, Ditz said if investigators conclude an overharvest of narwhals has occurred, Fisheries Act charges could be laid and the valuable parts of the animal confiscated.

"The tusk would be taken for sure," she said.

Ditz said the investigators also met with the Hunters and Trappers Committee in Taloyoak to make "sure the HTO is fully aware of their own responsibilities under the Act."

The investigation continues. DFO officials say they do not know when it will conclude.