KANGERLUUSUAQ,
Greenland -- October 30, 2009 -- Canada's
Environment Minister, Jim Prentice, Nunavut's
Minister of the Environment, Daniel Shewchuk,
and Greenland's Minister of Fisheries, Hunting
and Agriculture, Ane Hansen, today announced
the signing of an agreement between the
governments of Canada, Nunavut, and Greenland
to ensure the protection of shared polar
bear populations.
The Memorandum of Understanding
(MOU) proposes the creation of a Canada
- Greenland joint commission that would
recommend a combined total allowable harvest,
and a fair division of the shared harvest.
The joint commission, which includes representatives
from Canadian Inuit organizations Nunavut
Tunngavik Incorporated and the Qikiqtaaluk
Wildlife Board, would also be used to coordinate
science, traditional knowledge, management
and outreach activities.
Between Aboriginal peoples
and all levels of government, an unprecedented
level of effort has been put forth to conserve
and manage polar bears in Canada. The signing
of the Memorandum of Understanding today
represents another important step forward
in our ongoing commitment to protect the
polar bear.
"The Government
of Canada is committed to working collaboratively
to protect one of Canada's true natural
- and national - symbols. An iconic animal,
whose rare and rugged beauty stands as a
stark reminder that Canada is one of the
world's true Nordic nations. The Memorandum
of Understanding will help ensure conservation
and sustainable management of Kane Basin
and Baffin Bay polar bear populations into
the future," said Minister Prentice.
"Conservation and
sustainable management of polar bears is
very important for Greenland, for cultural,
social and economic reasons. That is why
I am so proud to be part of the signing
of the first MOU on polar bears between
Greenland, Canada and Nunavut. We find it
important that co-management agreements
are developed between nations sharing polar
bear population to ensure that combined
harvests does not exceed sustainable levels.
It is also important that traditional knowledge
is used together with science in this process.
Greenland is looking forward to continue
its effort to implement the co-management
agreement with Canada / Nunavut", said
Ane Hansen Greenland Minister for Fisheries,
Hunting & Agriculture.
"With this MOU
we open the door for further collaboration
on key priorities for polar bear management,"
said Nunavut Environment Minister, Daniel
Shewchuk. "Coordinating our efforts
with respect to research methodologies and
the exchange of multiple sources of knowledge
will help us make the wisest possible management
decisions for our polar bear populations.
We look forward to exploring the many ways
this joint commission can work toward our
shared vision for polar bear conservation."
Earlier this year, Minister
Prentice hosted a National Roundtable on
polar bears with the territories, the provinces,
wildlife management boards and others who
have a management and conservation role
to protect Canada's approximately 15,500
Polar Bears. At the meeting, the need to
form an agreement on managing shared polar
bear subpopulations was identified as a
high priority.
Of Canada's 13 polar
bear subpopulations, the Kane Basin and
Baffin Bay subpopulations are shared exclusively
between Nunavut and Greenland.
Frédéric Baril
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of the Environment
