TUKTOYAKTUK COMMUNITY CONSERVATION PLAN Tuktuuyaqtuum Angalatchivingit Niryutinik A plan for the conservation and management of renewable resources and lands within the Inuvialuit Settlement Region in the vicinity of Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories Prepared by The Tuktoyaktuk Hunters and Trappers Committee, Tuktoyaktuk Community Corporation, and The Wildlife Management Advisory Council (NWT), The Fisheries Joint Management Committee and the Joint Secretariat 2016 2 Tuktoyaktuk Community Conservation Plan – 2016 [Type here] [Type here] The Inuvialuit have and will always be conservationists. However, with the influx of people of different cultures with different values we must protect our lands and the animals that live there lest it be lost to us all. This is our responsibility to both our generation and future generations. - Dennis Raddi, Tuktoyaktuk Conservation Plan Working Group Tuktoyaktuk Community Conservation Plan - 2017 3 The 2016 updated Tuktoyaktuk Community Conservation Plan has been prepared in consultation with the lnuvialuit Community in Tuktoyaktuk and lnuvialuit and non-lnuvialuit 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. Larry Carpenter Chair Wildlife Management Advisory Council (NWT) Lindsay Staples Chair Wildlife Management Advisory Council (North Slope) John Lucas Jr. Vic Gillman Chair Chair Inuvialuit Game Council Fisheries Joint Management Committee 4 Tuktoyaktuk Community Conservation Plan – 2017 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 Committee, 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 DoL- Department of Lands, GNWT DOT - Department of Transportation ENR - Department of Environment and Natural Resources 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 IFA - Inuvialuit Final Agreement IGC - Inuvialuit Game Council IHTC - Inuvik Hunters and Trappers Committee ILA - Inuvialuit Land Administration IRC - Inuvialuit Regional Corporation ISR - Inuvialuit Settlement Region ITI – Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment NWT - Northwest Territories PWNHC - Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre RRC - Renewable Resource Council TCC - Tuktoyaktuk Community Corporation THTC - Tuktoyaktuk Hunters and Trappers Committee WMAC (NS) - Wildlife Management Advisory Council (North Slope) WMAC (NWT) - Wildlife Management Advisory Council (Northwest Territories) YTG - Yukon Territorial Government Tuktoyaktuk Community Conservation Plan - 2017 5 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................................... 9 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .......................................................................................................... 11 1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 12 1.1 A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE TUKTOYAKTUK AREA ................................................. 15 1.2 INUVIALUIT FINAL AGREEMENT AND RENEWABLE RESOURCE MANAGEMENT 16 1.2.1 Inuvialuit Final Agreement ..................................................................................... 16 1.2.2 Wildlife Management Advisory Councils (NWT and North Slope) 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 17 2 COMMUNITY VALUES .................................................................................................... 18 3 GOALS ............................................................................................................................ 19 4 SPECIAL AREAS AND RECOMMENDED LAND USE PRACTICES FOR THE PLANNING AREA ................................................................................................................... 20 4.1 TUKTOYAKTUK PLANNING AREA - SPECIAL DESIGNATED LANDS ..................... 21 4.1.1 GENERAL LAND USE GUIDELINES .................................................................. 122 4.2 INUVIALUIT COMMUNITY PROCESS FOR LAND USE DECISIONS...................... 122 4.3 CUMULATIVE IMPACTS MANAGEMENT ............................................................... 123 4.4 ENVIRONMENTAL SCREENING & REVIEW .......................................................... 123 4.4.1 Recommendations .............................................................................................. 123 5 EDUCATION, TRAINING AND INFORMATION EXCHANGE ........................................ 124 6 WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AND RESEARCH ............................................................... 125 6.1 GENERAL GUIDELINES ......................................................................................... 125 6.2 SUBSISTENCE AND COMMERCIAL HARVESTING - GENERAL GUIDELINES ..... 127 6.3 TOURISM GUIDELINES ......................................................................................... 127 6.4 SPECIES CONSERVATION SUMMARIES ............................................................. 129 BEAVER (Castor canadensis) / KIGIAQ ................................................................................................. 130 CARIBOU (Rangifer tarandus) / TUKTU ................................................................................................. 131 FOXES ................................................................................................................................................. 135 GRIZZLY BEAR (Ursus arctos) / AKLAQ ................................................................................................ 137 LYNX (Lynx canadensis) / PIQTUQSIRAQ.............................................................................................. 139 MARTEN (Martes americana) / QAVVIASIAQ ......................................................................................... 140 MINK (Neovison vison) / ITRIAQPAK ..................................................................................................... 141 MOOSE (Alces americanus) / TUKTUVAK .............................................................................................. 142 MUSKOX (Ovibos moschatus) / UMINGMAK .......................................................................................... 144 MUSKRAT (Ondatra zibethicus) / KIVGALUK ......................................................................................... 146 POLAR BEAR (Ursus maritimus) / NANUQ ............................................................................................ 147 SNOWSHOE HARE (Lepus americanus) / UKALIQ ................................................................................ 150 WOLF (Canis lupus) / AMARUQ ............................................................................................................ 151 WOLVERINE (Gulo gulo) / QAVVIK ........................................................................................................ 152 BELUGA WHALE (Delphinapterus leucas) / QILALUGAQ ...................................................................... 153 BOWHEAD WHALE (Balaena mysticetus) / ARVIQ ................................................................................ 160 SEALS ................................................................................................................................................. 163 MAMMALS SPECIES LIST ................................................................................................................... 169 DUCKS / TINGMILUAQQAT .................................................................................................................. 170 GEESE AND TUNDRA SWAN ............................................................................................................... 174 LOONS ................................................................................................................................................