Management Planning for the Bluenose Caribou Herds

March 03, 2014

The Bluenose Caribou herds are an important shared resource for the Inuvialuit, Gwich’in, Sahtú, Tłı̨chǫ and Deh Cho regions of the NWT and the Kitikmeot Region of Nunavut.  Occupying a large part of northern mainland NWT and western Nunavut, the herds are shared among many communities who depend on the long-term sustainability of the herds and their habitat.  The map in the Photo Gallery at the end of the story shows the ranges and calving grounds of the Cape Bathurst, Bluenose-West and Bluenose-East caribou herds. 

The WRRB is a member of a working group established by the Advisory Committee for Cooperation on Wildlife Management (ACCWM). The working group is preparing a management plan for the Bluenose Caribou Herds, including prioritized management actions for varying population levels.  Work on the Plan began in 2008 when the ACCWM set long-term management planning for the herds as a high priority in response to steep declines in numbers. 

The Bluenose Caribou Herds Management Plan is now being revised to accommodate comments made in earlier community consultations and by reviewers.  The working group is planning to convey the draft management Plan to the ACCWM for review this spring, along with a Community Report detailing engagements conducted in affected communities and a Science Report detailing the current state of knowledge of the herds. 

 

Fact Box:
 
Bluenose Caribou
  • The Bluenose Caribou herds are Barren ground caribou, a subspecies of caribou that is smaller and generally lighter in colour than boreal woodland caribou. 
  • These migratory animals travel huge distances each year.  In spring, they migrate north to traditional calving grounds, feeding on grasses and plants on the tundra.  When calving is over, the caribou turn south to their winter range in the boreal forest and survive by feeding on lichens. 
ACCWM

The Advisory Committee for Cooperation on Wildlife Management (ACCWM) was created to share information and coordinate wildlife management between wildlife management boards with respect to shared species, with a particular focus on the management of trans-boundary caribou herds.

The ACCWM consists of representatives of:

  • Gwich’in Renewable Resources Board
  • Kitikmeot Regional Wildlife Board
  • Nunavut Wildlife Management Board
  • Sahtú Renewable Resources Board
  • Tuktut Nogait National Park Management Board
  • Wek’èezhìı Renewable Resources Board (WRRB)
  • Wildlife Management Advisory Council (NWT)