Ministry back down on plans to extend grizzly hunt after locals protest

NEWS RELEASE

www.stopthegrizzlyhunt.org

27 Sept 2009


West Kootenays – The BC Ministry of Environment has withdrawn plans to extend the grizzly hunt in the Kootenays after protests from local residents.

The regional manager announced that plans for the extension will be put on hold until other options have been looked at and wider consultation carried out.

The announcement came after local citizens met with Garth Mowat, a senior biologist with the Ministry of Environment, in Nelson on Sept 22nd.

Mowat, who had initiated the idea of a longer hunt after consultations with hunter groups on Aug 22nd, refused a plea by those opposing the hunt for a delay pending wider consultation.

But he was apparently overruled by his regional manager Wayne Stetski. Late on Sept 25th, a spokesperson for the Ministry announced that the extension, which would have extended the hunt by 10 days until mid June and led to more grizzly bears being shot, at least in the short term, was to be put on hold.

The latest move came amid growing anger among local residents over the continuing hunting of grizzly bears in the West Kootenays.

Earlier this year hundreds signed a petition calling for an end to the grizzly hunt in Area D, a small electoral district on Kootenay Lake.

Between 55 and 70 grizzly bears are legally shot by hunters each year in the Kootenays.

Opponents of the hunt dispute the methodology used by the Ministry of Environment in assessing population numbers and are angry that only hunters representatives are consulted when hunting policies are drawn up.

Julius Strauss, a former war correspondent who now runs a small eco-lodge in the West Kootenays submitted an application to the Ministry of Environment in June asking that two West Kootenay creeks that have been heavily hunted in recent years be closed to further grizzly hunting.

Tony Hamilton, the large carnivore specialist with the Ministry of Environment in Victoria, pledged to make a decision on the matter but has yet to do so.

Plans for grizzly hunt extension going ahead

Fascinating meeting with Garth Mowat yesterday, the official who wants to extend the Kootenay Grizzly hunt, at his offices in Nelson.

It turns out that he has almost no scientific basis for extending the hunt - he argued by turns that an extension would decrease the number of female bears killed, then that it would increase the number of female bears killed, and then that the number of females killed is not the issue.

At one stage, he said: "This is not science." Instead he described his contention that a longer hunt would be good for grizzly bears as a "hunch."

The other thing that became clear is that while the Ministry of Environment invites consultation for its policies on grizzly hunting, only hunters and outfitters are given a hearing. Incredible.

Despite that, plans to extend the grizzly hunt in the Kootenays are going ahead. By Garth Mowat's own admission that will lead to a longer hunting season and more grizzlies being killed (for at least five years.)

Great. At a time when there is pressure to close the grizzly hunt on the coast, we are increasing it in the Kootenays. If you're not thrilled by this write to Garth Mowat. His email is: garth.mowat@gov.bc.ca

Even better, try his boss Wayne Stetski - wayne.stetski@gov.bc.ca

Perhaps he will be more understanding in recognising that the vast majority of residents don't want a grizzly hunt at all, let alone an extended one.



On a positive note, above is a photo of a grizzly bear that survived this spring's hunt in our area and is back again this year.

Charlie Russell in Nelson

One for the diary: Charlie Russell, the iconic bear expert who spent several years working with grizzly bears in Kamchatka in Russia, will be showing his outstanding documentary East of Eden at the Capitol Theatre in Nelson on October 8th at 7.00pm. He will be available for questions after the movie.

On another note: Garth Mowat of the Ministry of Environment in Nelson has finally agreed to meet those of us who are opposed to his plan to extend the Kootenay grizzly hunt, on Sept 22nd.

He maintains that the hunting extension will be good for grizzly conservation.

We have consulted three eminent grizzly bear biologists: one concludes that all hunting is bad for grizzly bear conservation, one that the extension of the hunt will harm grizzly conservation, and one is not sure. Scientific opinion seems stacked against Mr Mowat but we will listen carefully to what he has to say.

A move to extend the hunt in the Kootenays

Far from the public eye, the local BC Ministry of Environment office has been planning to extend the grizzly hunt. It currently finishes on June 5th and the plan is to extend it until the end of June.

At a meeting on Aug 22nd, representatives of the grizzly hunters met with the Ministry of Environment and, it seems, endorsed the new plan.

When the ministry was asked to explain the plan to those opposed to the grizzly hunt they said that it was all being done in the name of grizzly conservation.

We have asked for a meeting with the Ministry officials responsible (we'll keep names out of this so it doesn't get too personal) but so far he's being a little coy with the dates he could meet.

Will keep you all posted.