Ɂehdzo Got’ı̨nę Gots’ę́ Nákedı
Sahtú Renewable Resources Board

pdf 20-01-17 Colville Round 2 Information Request Responses Popular

Colville has provided responses to the following seven Round 2 Information Requests. There is a supporting document provided for question - The “Ɂede 2019-2021 Interim Management Agreement and the Traditional Knowledge and Limited License Agreement.”

1.1    Could you provide examples of traditional caribou conservation measures used in your community? (ENR)

1.2   Could you describe the traditional harvesting practices of your community as they relate to harvesting cows vs bulls or different age classes of animals throughout the year? (ENR)

2.1   During the collaborative drafting of the Wildlife Act, which included representatives from Aboriginal governments and wildlife co-management boards, it was heard that a hunter education course should be developed and made available to all hunters in the NWT. As of January 1, 2020, the course will be a legislated requirement for new hunters in the NWT. It is online, free and available now (www.enr.gov.nt.ca/en/services/hunter-education). Although Sahtú rights holders are exempt from the requirement to take the course, we previously heard a desire for Sahtú youth and new or inexperienced hunters to take the course. ENR can make these courses available in-person, would you be interested in this style of delivery? (ENR)

3.1   As discussed in the SRRB’s 2016 Bluenose East Ɂekwę́ Hearing Report, community conservation plans are based on principles of self-regulation. These plans are means for communities to develop their own approaches to caribou conservation while recognizing the need for accountability and sharing across boundaries, as outlined in the Taking Care of Caribou plan for Cape Bathurst, Bluenose West and Bluenose East ɂǝdǝ/ɂekwę́ (barren-ground caribou) and associated Action Plans. However, Wildlife Management authorities from neighbouring regions have expressed concerns that to date, community conservation planning and self-regulation processes have not complied with the spirit and intent of cross-regional agreements for sharing harvest information, which are consistent with the obligation to collect and provide harvesting data outlined in the Sahtú Dene and Métis Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement (SDMCLCA)[1]. There is concern about lack of information on how harvest data is collected, leading to lack of confidence in the quality of the data. Please clarify how you plan to address these concerns. (SRRB)

3.2   The Dehlá Got'ı̨nę Ɂǝdǝ Plan (October 21, 2019) recognizes the obligation under the Sahtú land claim agreement to provide harvesting data, and outlines how this will happen in Section 3.3 of the Plan. The Plan notes that provision of data would be in accordance with a Data Sharing Protocol with the SRRB and GNWT. Please share the Data Sharing Protocol for consideration by the Parties in assessing Colville’s commitment to providing harvesting data. (SRRB)

4.1 & 4.2    In considering the capacity of the SRRB and the Parties, and the experience of preparing for the Colville 2020 Public Listening Session, do you support a revised timeline for Public Listening Sessions with only one Session per year, with a schedule to prepare for each Session in modest steps throughout the year, and completion of Reasons for Decision report by March 31? Please comment on the following timeline, topics and hosting communities, keeping in mind the benefits of holding sessions during winter road season to maximize participation:

  • 2021 – Session 2: Knowledge of Caribou and Landscapes (Délı̨nę)
  • 2022 – Session 3: Caribou and Predators (Fort Good Hope)
  • 2023 – Session 4: Wildfires, Climate Change and Caribou Habitat (Tulı́t'a)
  • 2024 – Session 5: The Sahtú Mixed Economy and Caribou Conservation (N. Wells)
  • SRRB Final Wrap-up Hearing Report

The SRRB recognizes that evaluation of each Public Listening Session and advance planning and scoping for future Sessions will support fulsome evidence gathering, fairness, and impactful decision-making. The Board hopes to launch Session 2 as early as possible in 2020. Please provide comments on the following preliminary draft timeline for Session 2, based on your experience with Colville 2020 Public Listening Session activities and timelines.

[1] “Renewable Resources Councils shall participate in the collection and provision, to government and the Board, of local harvesting data and other locally available data respecting wildlife and wildlife habitat.” (SDMCLCA 13.9.6).