Regulation changes will help moose and caribou populations recover

May 21, 2015

WHITEHORSE—The Government of Yukon has amended the territory’s Wildlife Regulation and Trapping Regulation, Minister of Environment Wade Istchenko announced today.

“These amendments take into account the recommendations provided by the Yukon Fish and Wildlife Management Board and reflect solid scientific and traditional knowledge about wildlife and wildlife management,” Istchenko said.

The board led a public review of the proposed regulation changes in the fall of 2013. It subsequently recommended the proposals to the minister for implementation. Highlights include:

• Putting a threshold hunt in place for Faro-area moose because the voluntary measures, in place since 1999, are not sufficient to limit harvest to sustainable levels.
• Requiring only the trapping concession holder to be present when applying for a guided trapping permit.
• Updating the rules for the Fortymile caribou herd to reflect the herd’s recent movements.

“The Yukon government supports adaptive management of the Fortymile caribou herd so wildlife managers can respond quickly to changes in herd size and location, including allowing a hunt should conditions warrant,” Istchenko added.

All but one of the new rules are in effect now. All of the new rules will be in the 2015/16 Hunting Regulations Summary and the 2015/16 Trapping Regulations Summary, as well as the Permit Hunt Authorization Data Sheet 2015.

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See backgrounder below.

Contact:

Elaine Schiman
Cabinet Communications
867-633-7961
elaine.schiman@gov.yk.ca

Nancy Campbell
Communications, Environment
867-456-6794
nancy.campbell@gov.yk.ca

Summary of amendments to the Wildlife Regulation and Trapping Regulation

Changes took effect April 23, 2015, unless otherwise noted:

1. Help Faro-area moose population recover – A threshold hunt is now in place that requires harvest reports within 72 hours with immediate closure once the limit is met. Special guiding will no longer be allowed.

2. Protect Itsi mountain goat population – A permit hunt is now in place because the population of mountain goats in the Itsi Range – fewer than 10 animals – is far too small to support an open hunt at this time.

3. Update rules for Fortymile caribou – The herd’s range, as defined in the regulation, has been expanded to reflect its recent movements. As well, in future it will be up to the minister instead of cabinet to authorize hunting when circumstances warrant.

4. Remove Dempster no-hunting corridor – The Dempster Highway 500-metre no-hunting corridor regulation has not been enforced for five or more years.

5. Remove Dempster hunting closure – The one-week closure, intended to let the herd leaders cross the Dempster Highway unhindered by hunting, has not been enforced for five or more years and is now removed.

6. Remove north Alaska Highway no-hunting corridor – The corridor is no longer needed to mitigate the impact of Shakwak project workers and will be removed effective August 1, 2015.

7. Simplify guided trapping application process – The person being guided no longer has to be physically present with the trapping concession holder when applying for a guided trapping permit at an Environment Yukon office.

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