Tuktoyaktuk reduces Caribou Tag Numbers to 50

Paul Voudrach, chair of Tuk HTC (Tuktoyaktuk Hunters and Trappers Council), updated us on a new Tuk HTC legislation on caribou hunting, which limits caribou hunting to 50 tags for Tuktoyaktuk this year, and the tags can only be used for community hunts.

Paul said, “It began last fall when they discovered caribou were declining in our area. Our HTC requested ENR to do more surveys with the participation of Inuvialuit individuals. On March 15th this year, a new legislation came in, where the area IBC/06 (an area where Bluenose Barren-ground Caribou are) could not be used by resident hunters any longer. WMAC also suggested that only 240 Cape Bathhurst caribou should be harvested annually.”

“During the HTC AGM in June, Inuvik and Tuk HTCs suggested tightening the numbers to be harvested. In July 2006, a resolution was made at Tuk HTC, indicating that only 50 Cape Bathhurst caribous are to be taken, using the tag system. The tags will be used for community hunts. There was a vote on this, 19 were against, and 21 were in favor. The motion was barely passed.”

A week later, Tuk HTC had another meeting and changed their caribou management bylaw, stating through a resolution that all tags be only utilized in community hunts. The resolution was subject to change after survey results for 2006 come out in “October or November”.

The results could increase or decrease the tags or even eliminate the system.

When asked whether food supply will become a source of concern, Paul replied, “It’s not a matter of ‘worry’, we actually have to use a deeper word, it’s ‘tragic’. It takes away one of the staple foods in the area.”

He also said that “One of the items suggested at the AGM or the HTC was for us to find an alternative food supply. Or, we could go beyond the Cape Bathhurst Herd, travel further out to hunt, but we will have to seek the resources to do that.” And with the rising cost of gas for travelling, this poses a further challenge for those affected.

Georgina Masuzumi, who is on the Board of Directors of Tuk HTC said, “It’s going to be tough going at first. Caribou is a major source of our traditional foods, it’s going to be hard for people not to poach if they need to feed their families. There’s lots of fish right now, but come wintertime, it will be hard for some people to survive, especially those whose only source of money is income support. It is hard for people to look at food they could be having roaming around, and not have it put on their table.”