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June 21, 2002
Igloolik and Hall Beach
win bowhead hunt: Kovic
RWOs to make final decision
during teleconference this week
SARA
ARNATSIAQ
Details
about this year's bowhead whale hunt are being finalized this week.
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Delegates at a meeting
of regional wildlife organiza tions in Rankin Inlet last week decided to award
the 2002-3 bowhead whale hunt to Igloolik and Hall Beach, says Ben Kovic, chairperson
for the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board.
The Kivalliq region will
not apply for this years hunt, Kovic said, but if Igloolik and Hall Beach
do not go ahead with the hunt this summer, the Kivalliq will re-apply for next
years hunt.
There is no report either
scientific or traditional as to the number of bowhead in the territory, Kovic
said.
He did say, however, that
an Inuit Bowhead Knowledge Study has been completed, but has not been reviewed
by the boards. He said regional wildlife organizations need time to study it
before they can act on it.
Kovic said the Qikiqtaaluk
Wildlife Board still has to finalize details of the bowhead hunt with the Igloolik
and Hall Beach Hunters and Trappers Associations.
Bert Dean, Nunavut Tunngaviks
director of wildlife in Rankin Inlet, said regional wildlife organizations will
hold a teleconference on Thursday to make a final decision about the hunt. He
added that there was a question about the Igloolik-Hall Beach application that
has to be resolved.
The Wildlife Policy Advisory
Committee (WPAC), a group made up of representatives of all wildlife organizations
in Nunavut, was supposed to talk about it last week, but that meeting was delayed
until June 20.
Abraham Qaunnaq, the chairperson
of the Hall Beach Hunters and Trappers Association, declined to be interviewed,
but the secretary-manager, Jason Mikki, said that Hall Beach hunters are interested
in the bowhead hunt.
Nathan Qamaniq, the chairperson
of the Igloolik Hunters and Trappers Association, was out hunting and could
not be reached by press time.
The secretary-manager,
Rosalie Aqatsiaq, said they are waiting for details of the WPAC meeting, which
will give them more information about the hunt.
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