(June 02, 2010 — Iqaluit, Nunavut) Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. Vice-President of Finance Raymond Ningeocheak today announced his support to Nunavut environment minister Daniel Shewchuk’s recommendation to not list the polar bear as a ‘species of special concern’ under the Species at Risk Act.

A recommendation from 2008 to list the polar bear as a ‘species of special concern’ is currently in consideration with the federal environment minister Jim Prentice. If the recommendation is adopted the federal government will have to develop a management plan by 2014.

“We already have a very successful polar bear management system in place and since the 1970’s it resulted in the polar bear population in Nunavut almost doubling. If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.” said Ningeocheak.

In 2008 Western Hudson Bay Total Allowable Harvest was cut from 58-8. Again in March 2010 the Total Allowable Harvest was reduced on the Baffin Bay polar bear population from 105 to 65 over the next four years. The management system in place is able to react quickly to address any concerns.

“My greatest concern with polar bears is the knowledge gap between Inuit hunters and government biologists. Right now there is a huge gap between western knowledge and Inuit knowledge. One area I would welcome the federal department of environment to get involved and invest resources is to close the gap between Inuit knowledge and scientific data on polar bear populations.” concluded Ningeocheak.

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For further information:

Franco Buscemi
Director of Communications
Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated
Tel: (867) 975-4939 Toll-free: 1-888-646-0006