NUNAVUT - Polar bears in Baffin Bay and Kane Basin will be internationally monitored after a memorandum of understanding between Canada, Nunavut and Greenland was signed in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland, on Oct. 30.

Federal Environment Minister Jim Prentice, Nunavut Environment minister Daniel Shewchuk and Greenland's Minister of Fisheries, Hunting and Agriculture, Anne Hansen signed the agreement.

Polar bears in Baffin Bay and Kane Basin, the body of water separating Canada from Greenland, are hunted by hunters in both Greenland and Canada.

The MOU will result in a joint commission made up of members from both Canada and Greenland, Prentice said. The commission will work together to form recommendations to government about polar bears in both regions.

"It means that the management of the polar bear population will be worked on jointly by Greenland, Nunavut and Canada based on conservation principles," Prentice said.

The commission will serve an advisory role and can recommend a total allowable harvest for both countries, but will not have the authority to set the annual total allowable harvest in either region, Shewchuk said.

The harvest will continue to be set by the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board and reviewed by the minister of environment, who can accept or reject the recommendation.

"It's not taking any jurisdictional powers away," he said.

The commission will also help co-ordinate research into the population and share costs between the governments, he said.

"It's going to increase our co-operation with Greenland not only in polar bear management but in all wildlife management, hopefully down the road, and increase relations with Greenland, too," he said.

The commission will consist of eight members and will include a representative from the territorial government, one from Nunavut Tunngavik Inc, one from Qikiqtaaluk Wildlife Board, one from the Canadian government and four from Greenland, Shewchuk said.

-with files from Gabriel Zarate