B.C. government bans grizzly bear trophy hunt
Monday, August 14, 2017
Revelstoke Mountaineer
Provincial government moves to ban grizzly bear trophy hunting in B.C. starting on Nov. 30.
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The B.C. government is moving on a campaign promise to end the grizzly bear trophy hunt in B.C.
Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development Minister Doug Donaldson made the announcement at a media conference on Aug. 14.
The grizzly hunt will end on Nov. 30 of this year when the ban takes effect.
In a statement, the new forests minister said that a majority of British Columbians supported the move. “By bringing trophy hunting of grizzlies to an end, we’re delivering on our commitment to British Columbians,” Donaldson said. “This action is supported by the vast majority of people across our province.”
The statement also paid special note of grizzly hunting in the Great Bear Rainforest. “In particular, we owe it to generations past and future to do all we can to protect the beauty and uniqueness of the Great Bear Rainforest,” Donaldson said. “We believe the action we’re taking goes beyond the commitment to Coastal First Nations made as part of the 2016 Great Bear Rainforest agreements.”
According to the provincial government, there are an estimated 15,000 grizzly bears in British Columbia. Each year, approximately 250 are taken by hunters.
However, the ban stops short of a complete ban on hunting grizzlies. “While the trophy hunt will end, hunting for meat will be allowed to continue,” the statement read.
Donaldson said that government will consult with First Nations and stakeholder groups this fall to determine next steps and mechanisms as B.C. moves toward ending the trophy hunt.
“Additionally, government will be moving forward with a broader consultation process on a renewed wildlife management strategy for the province,” stated the release.
“The key elements of that strategy will include dedicated funding for wildlife and habitat conservation and a collaborative process in developing short and long-term plans for wildlife resources,” Donaldson said.
Grizzly hunt opponents Wilderness Committee applauded the decision. “For 16 long years we’ve been demanding this ban,” said Joe Foy, Wilderness Committee National Campaign Director. “Ever since Premier Gordon Campbell reinstated the bloody grizzly trophy hunt, we’ve been counting the days until the killing stops. Nearly 4,000 grizzly bears slaughtered for so-called sport. Premier Horgan is to be commended for ending this cruel and barbaric blood sport for good,” said Foy.
In Victoria, B.C. Green caucus leader Andrew Weaver criticized the details of the ban, saying it lacked detail and contained loopholes.
“I am encouraged that the B.C. NDP are respecting the wishes of the Coastal First Nations by placing a moratorium on the hunting of grizzlies in the Great Bear Rainforest,” said Weaver. “During the election campaign I pointed out that the B.C. NDP appeared to be trying to have their cake and eat it too when it came to the grizzly hunt. They told the hunting community one thing and the environmental community another.”
Weaver said the system, which bans harvesting of the head, hair or hid of grizzlies will lead to a wasteful system where not all of the animal will be harvested. He also noted that foreign hunters will still be able to get photo trophies with the dead animals and return home without harvesting any of the animal. “I’m not sure how this will appease the concerns of anyone,” Weaver said. “It appears to me that the NDP were trying to play to environmental voters in the election campaign without thinking through their policies. What we really need in BC is science-based approach to wildlife management, not a populist approach to species management.”
Regional environment organization Wildsight said the ban was a step in the right direction, but called for habitat connectivity and landscape protection.
Columbia River–Revelstoke MLA Doug Clovechok panned the grizzly trophy hunt ban. “First and foremost, I think it’s a sad day for conversation,” he said. “This is nothing more than political pandering based on emotion.”
Clovechok argued that “responsible wildlife management” needs to include controlling apex predators like grizzlies and wolves.
“It’s a very emotional issue for people in B.C.,” he said. “People don’t understand the concept of wildlife management and how … apex predators have to be a part of wildlife management. This needs to be driven by biology, not by politics.”
He pointed to the Liberal government’s announcement in March of this year for plans to create a wildlife management agency as the direction the province needed to go. He said he didn’t support the status quo system in place prior the trophy hunt ban.
“The model that was being created was a good model [for] everyone,” Clovechok said.
He predicted that the trophy hunt ban could lead to bear problems. “If you stop shooting bears, the bear populations are going to grow,” he said, adding that bigger populations leads to competition for resources that will displace bears, some of which would then be pushed towards human population for food. “And guess what, the Convervation Officer gets to shoot them,” he said.
The Mountaineer reached out the the Guide Outfitters Association of B.C. but they were not immediately available.
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