Inuvik Inuvialuit Community Conservation Plan — November 2008 1 INUVIK INUVIALUIT COMMUNITY CONSERVATION PLAN A Plan to Provide Guidance Regarding the Conservation and Management of Renewable Resources and Lands within the Inuvialuit Settlement Region in the Vicinity of Inuvik, Northwest Territories Prepared by The Community of Inuvik, the Wildlife Management Advisory Council (NWT) and the Joint Secretariat November 2008 Inuvik Inuvialuit Community Conservation Plan — November 2008 2 IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS AND ABBREVIATIONS The following important words and abbreviations have been used in the Community Conservation Plan and are explained below. Community Refers to all the Inuvialuit individuals living in the area and the local organizations which represent them. Those organizations include the Hunters and Trappers Committee, Elders, Community Corporation, Community Education Council and Hamlet. Conservation Is ensuring that if we take caribou, there will be caribou the next year and the year after that. The same for anything else. This applies to all uses of the land: if it is used and enjoyed now, it must be left and preserved so that it will be there for the next year and for future years. Ecosystem Refers to all of the plants and animals in an area, including the air, water and land on which they depend. The parts of the ecosystem are interconnected and influence one another. Food and energy flow through the ecosystem and are returned to it. Successful conservation and management depend on the recognition that changing one part of the ecosystem may affect the other parts. CWS - Canadian Wildlife Service DFO - Department of Fisheries and Oceans DIAND - Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development DOT - Department of Transportation DENR - Department of Environment and Natural Resources (ENR) EIRB - Environmental Impact Review Board EISC - Environmental Impact Screening Committee FJMC - Fisheries Joint Management Committee GNWT - Government of the Northwest Territories GRRB - Gwich’in Renewable Resource Board GTC - Gwich’in Tribal Council HTC - Hunters and Trappers Committee ICC-Inuvik Community Corporation IBP - International Biological Programme IFA - Inuvialuit Final Agreement IGC - Inuvialuit Game Council IHTC - Inuvik Hunters and Trappers Committee ILA - Inuvialuit Land Administration ILAC - Inuvialuit Land Administration Commission IRC - Inuvialuit Regional Corporation ISR - Inuvialuit Settlement Region NWMB - Nunavut Wildlife Management Board NWT - Northwest Territories PCMB - Porcupine Caribou Management Board PWNHC - Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre RRC - Renewable Resource Council (Gwich’in) SRRB - Sahtu Renewable Resource Board WMAC(NS) - Wildlife Management Advisory Council (North Slope) WMAC(NWT) - Wildlife Management Advisory Council (Northwest Territories) YTG - Yukon Territorial Government Inuvik Inuvialuit Community Conservation Plan — November 2008 3 June 2000 The Inuvik Inuvialuit Community Conservation Plan has been prepared in consultation with the Inuvialuit Community in Inuvik and Inuvialuit and non-Inuvialuit bodies with an interest in the area. The undersigned representatives hereby adopt this document for the purpose of guiding policy and resource management in the planning area. Inuvik Inuvialuit Community Conservation Plan — November 2008 4 A saying passed on to us from generation to generation by our Inuvialuit Elders: "The most important thing that we have is our land and waters and because we have looked after them, they have supported us for many generations and if we continue to ensure they are properly cared for - they will support us for many more generations to come." ANGAYUQAPTA TAIMANGA INNA UQAUTIAGIGATIGUT: "Taimanga qanga nunapta munarriagigatigut huli pangma nunakput, imirlu, munarimariq huptigu taimunga inuuniarvigi uuminargikput." Billy Day Inuvik, 1993 Inuvik Inuvialuit Community Conservation Plan — November 2008 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................................... 9 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................................. 10 1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 11 1.1 A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE INUVIK AREA............................................................................. 14 1.2 INUVIALIUT FINAL AGREEMENT AND RENEWABLE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT ............ 16 1.2.1 Inuvialuit Final Agreement ............................................................................................. 16 1.2.2 Wildlife Management Advisory Councils (NWT and NS) and Fisheries Joint Management Committee ........................................................................ 16 1.2.3 Inuvialuit Game Council and Hunters and Trappers Committees ................................... 16 1.2.4 Inuvialuit Land Administration ........................................................................................ 16 1.2.5 Environmental Impact Screening Committee and Environmental Impact Review Board ............................................................................. 16 1.3 GWICH’IN TRANSBOUNDARY ISSUES ................................................................................. 17 2 COMMUNITY VALUES ............................................................................................................... 18 3 GOALS .......................................................................................................................................... 19 4 SPECIAL AREAS AND RECOMMENDED LAND USE PRACTICES FOR THE PLANNING AREA ........................................................................................................................ 20 4.1 INUVIK SUBREGION - SPECIAL DESIGNATED LANDS ........................................................ 21 4.1.1 General Land Use Guidelines ........................................................................................ 53 4.2 INUVIALUIT COMMUNITY PROCESS FOR LAND USE DECISIONS .................................... 54 4.3 CUMULATIVE IMPACTS MANAGEMENT .............................................................................. 54 4.4 ENVIRONMENTAL SCREENING & REVIEW .......................................................................... 55 4.4.1 Recommendations ......................................................................................................... 55 5 EDUCATION, TRAINING AND INFORMATION EXCHANGE ............................................. 57 6 WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AND RESEARCH .................................................................... 58 6.1 GENERAL GUIDELINES ......................................................................................................... 58 6.2 SUBSISTENCE AND COMMERCIAL HARVESTING - GENERAL GUIDELINES .................... 60 6.3 TOURISM GUIDELINES .......................................................................................................... 61 6.4 SPECIES CONSERVATION SUMMARIES ............................................................................. 62 Beaver ........................................................................................................................... 63 Black Bear ..................................................................................................................... 64 Caribou .......................................................................................................................... 65 Inuvik Inuvialuit Community Conservation Plan — November 2008 6 TABLE OF CONTENTS (cont’d) Page Foxes............................................................................................................................. 71 Grizzly Bear ................................................................................................................... 72 Lynx ............................................................................................................................... 75 Marten ........................................................................................................................... 76 Mink ............................................................................................................................... 77 Moose ............................................................................................................................ 78 Muskox .......................................................................................................................... 79 Muskrat .......................................................................................................................... 80 Polar Bear ..................................................................................................................... 81 Snowshoe Hare ............................................................................................................. 84 Wolf ............................................................................................................................... 85 Wolverine ...................................................................................................................... 87 Beluga Whale ................................................................................................................ 88 Bowhead Whale ............................................................................................................ 94