Caribou Forever - Our Heritage, Our Responsiblity: A Barren-ground Caribou Management Strategy for the Northwest Territories 2006-2010
Citation
Caribou Forever - Our Heritage, Our Responsiblity: A Barren-ground Caribou Management Strategy for the Northwest Territories 2006-2010: Northwest Territories Environment and Natural Resources, p. 39-39.
Summary
The social, cultural and economic value of barren-ground caribou to residents of the Northwest Territories (NWT) is immense. These migratory herds are hunted by Dene, Inuvialuit, Metis and non-aboriginal people from almost all communities on mainland Northwest Territories (NWT). The minimum annual harvest is 11,000 caribou with a minimum economic value of $17 million dollars (includes meat replacement and outfitting). Over the last ten years, the barren-ground caribou herds in the Northwest Territories (NWT) have declined from 40 to 86 percent. Management actions are required to assist declining caribou herds to recover and address the economic hardships resulting from low caribou numbers. The NWT Barren-ground Caribou Management [...]
Summary
The social, cultural and economic value of barren-ground caribou to residents of the Northwest Territories (NWT) is immense. These migratory herds are hunted by Dene, Inuvialuit, Metis and non-aboriginal people from almost all communities on mainland Northwest Territories (NWT). The minimum annual harvest is 11,000 caribou with a minimum economic value of $17 million dollars (includes meat replacement and outfitting). Over the last ten years, the barren-ground caribou herds in the Northwest Territories (NWT) have declined from 40 to 86 percent. Management actions are required to assist declining caribou herds to recover and address the economic hardships resulting from low caribou numbers. The NWT Barren-ground Caribou Management Strategy 2006–2010 supports the Legislative Assembly's vision and goal to care and protect the land, water and wildlife. The Strategy draws on previous management planning initiatives conducted with co-management boards, caribou management boards and NWT communities. The Strategy will not replace herd specific management planning but rather will provide a unifying context for those plans. The five-year NWT Barren-ground Caribou Management Strategy includes principles to guide barren-ground caribou management. The principles indicate that all NWT residents will understand their role and impact on barren-ground caribou and that the GNWT and co-management boards have leadership roles in making decisions on management actions. The Strategy has five key components: • Engaging partners in management • Ensuring information is available for management decisions • Managing impacts of human activities • Public education and compliance • Addressing hardships from low caribou Strategies are described under each key component as well as immediate actions. All actions taken over the next five years will have a strategic effect on recovery of caribou herds. To implement the Strategy requires a total investment of $8,773,000 dollars. Of this, the Strategy identifies the current commitment by the Government of the Northwest Territories and the incremental investment required. The major costs in this strategy are associated with the collection of information necessary for sound management decisions. Implementation of the strategy will also require resources from partners who share responsibility for managing caribou herds. These partners include co-management boards, caribou management boards, the Government of Canada and neighbouring jurisdictions.
