YELLOWKNIFE - Environment Minister Michael McLeod faced a barrage of criticism Monday over his decision to reduce caribou sport hunting quotas that outfitters and several MLAs insist will, 'kill the outfitting industry' in the territories.

Great Slave MLA Bill Braden, pictured here at last week's budget address, was one of several MLAs to question Environment Minister Michael McLeod's decision to drastically cut barren ground caribou tag limits to sport hunters. - Terry Kruger/NNSL photo

"Why can't we put more money into the (applicable) boards and agencies so they have the resources they need as opposed to letting the government impose restrictions without due diligence?" asked Tu Nedhe MLA Bobby Villeneuve.

In his opening statement, Villeneuve said recent restrictions and proposed further reductions for 2008 tags would be a serious blow to northern businesses.

In December 2006, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (ENR) recommended to the Wekeezhi Renewable Resources Board that it cut barren ground caribou tags to sport hunters to 350 from 1,559. After an outcry from the outfitting industry, ENR relented by allowing 750 tags for the 2007 season.

However, the resources board will hold hearings in March to determine if the number of sport hunt tags should drop as low as 350 in the future.

While McLeod agreed that more money to manage caribou would be nice, he said in light of "caribou numbers crashing" his decision was based on a "precautionary principle" to mitigate the number of animals hunted. According to ENR, each caribou population study costs approximately $600,000 and in the 2007 budget, $1 million in additional funding was allotted for caribou management.

A July 2006 barren ground caribou survey determined that the Bathurst herd declined from 472,000 to 128,000 since 1986. It is a number outfitters like Gary Jaeb dispute.

"They are assigning all the aboriginal hunt to the Bathurst herd which isn't the case," he said. "(ENR) is killing the industry without having the right information. They are cooking the numbers to fit an agenda."

The aboriginal hunt - the only part of the harvest not monitored by ENR - is estimated at between 11,000 to 20,000 animals annually. However, there are six herds whose ranges include the NWT.

"I feel we're banging our head against the wall," said Jim Peterson, an outfitter and president of the Barren Ground Outfitters Association, who along with Jaeb, was present in the legislative assembly gallery Monday. "We need an independent audit (of ENR caribou numbers) as we know their numbers don't add up."

Peterson pointed to outfitter John Andre's caribou study, which uses ENR statistics to question the department's assertion that the Bathurst herd is in serious decline. Andre contends that government-imposed herd divisions; an ever-evolving census methodology; and changing calving grounds over the past 25 years have compromised the reliability of ENR numbers.

Four MLAs, including Villeneuve, Range Lake MLA Sandy Lee, Great Slave MLA Bill Braden, and Kam Lake's Dave Ramsay have spoken out against reducing sport hunter caribou tags. Former ENR minister Michael Miltenberger, meanwhile, is in favour of the government's position.

Back in question period, Braden wanted to know why ENR appeared cavalier in its tag-limit decision that would end an industry the government took great effort to help foster.

"This industry was created by this government in the (1980s) as a way of incorporating aboriginal practice with respect to diversifying our economy," Braden said. "(And) while we still do not have a thorough information base, we've made recommendations that will, in effect, eliminate this business overnight."

It's a business, according to government statistics, that brings the most in tourism dollars to the territories' economy. In 2005/2006, sport hunters spent $17.4 million - $4 million more than visitors who came to see the northern lights.

In response to Braden, McLeod said that ENR tried to accommodate the outfitters for 2007 by allowing them 750 tags, slightly more than the 727 caribou tags used by sport hunters last season.

As well, McLeod said the bottom line was the preservation of the herd.

"My job is (to ensure) the healthy future of the caribou," said McLeod. "We can't have an industry if we have no caribou. We've laid out a strategy... The bottom line is the interest of the herd, and that is at the forefront to us."

Adding a touch of irony to the proceedings was Industry, Tourism and Investment Minister Brendan Bell's recognition of Gary Jaeb and the Peterson family in the gallery, "which operate businesses that are so vital to the economy."