Yellowknife (Dec 15/06) - Chief Fred Sangris says modern day stresses of tourism and sport hunting should be scrutinized before aboriginal hunting practices in dealing with the diminishing number of caribou.

Chief Fred Sangris says the effects of sport hunting and tourism on caribou numbers should be scrutinized. - Christine Grimard/NNSL photo

"The Dene haven't been a problem," said Sangris, chief of Ndilo. "We've lived side by side with the caribou for thousands of years. We don't want our food source to disappear.

"The Akaitcho treaty allows third parties to co-exist. They can use the resources. If those resources are depleting then the first group has priority. If they don't, then our cultural well-being will die."

Sangris not only criticized outfitters and an insufficient number of wildlife officers, but also pointed to the tourism industry and industrialization of the North as affecting the well-being of caribou.

Sangris said scores of planes carrying Japanese tourists circle the caribou and disturb them. He also said that with sport hunters killing the largest caribou, many herds have no leaders to make it to the wintering grounds. Sangris added that those larger bulls are also vital as they are the mating bulls.

"If this kind of practice continues, the caribou are sure to perish and disappear," said Sangris. "Outfitters have to be stopped completely."

Sangris said that with many Dene depending on caribou meat, their needs should take priority over sport and tourism.

"The government's plan is to save the tourism industry, which few Dene people benefit from," he said.

Sangris said the tourism industry has to change the way it deals with caribou.

Mary Long, general manager of Aurora World Corporation, said caribou viewing is one of the most popular tours among Japanese tourists, and is lucrative for the business.

She said that though she isn't a wildlife expert, she doubts her tours harm the caribou.

"I don't think that's the biggest threat," she said.

Sangris said the low number of wildlife officers and their limited influence concerns him. He said he never sees wildlife officers working after hours, and that allows a window of opportunity for illegal hunting.

Raymond Bourget, senior wildlife officer for the North Slave Region, said that with just six wildlife officers to cover the North Slave Region, an office to run, and other duties to attend to, it's difficult to keep tabs on all hunting activity.

"Harvesting could go on anywhere," said Bourget, "We don't have enough people to cover all the areas."

Bourget said the problem in catching offenders is that illegal hunting activity is a "victimless crime" and there often aren't witnesses.

Bourget said that despite these difficulties, officers do stop illegal activity. During the 2005-2006 season, officers gave seven warnings and laid four charges. Bourget noted that the department has fewer problems with sport and non-resident hunters, as they are more stringently controlled than resident hunters.

Moise Rabesca, a Dene who runs Camp Ekwo outfitters, said the caribou problem can't be pinned on tourists. Although the Dene may have lived alongside caribou for thousands of years, Rabesca said modern lifestyles have changed the way caribou are harvested.

"We used to use every part but not today," said Rabesca.

Two-to-three-day hunts have turned into eight-hour workdays, said Rabesca, and though he still lives off fish and caribou, he said a lot of the meat gets wasted.

"The biggest problem is us," said Rabesca.

He said youth need to be educated about good hunting practices.

Sangris said he favours promoting sustainable hunting practices. Nevertheless, he doesn't feel government should be involved.

"The government doesn't own the caribou," he said. "They don't own the land."