Examining the impacts of the George River Caribou Herd hunting ban on northern Labrador Inuit: an integrated resource management perspective - Jason Dicker

Integrated resource management is the process that identifies and considers all resource use and management emphasis based on present uses, the mix of benefits produced, the ongoing capability of the land to produce benefits, and social preference. The organizational theory behind this management is that, it requires numerous types of complex information for sound, effective decision-making. Such questions can be asked like “How much wildlife habitat is protected from future development and how will such a development will unfold?” Taking this approach with respect to the George River Caribou Herd (GRCH) hunting ban that is currently in place in northern Labrador would be beneficial as it has the opportunity to provide scholarly information on how this affects Inuit within this region. The provincial government of Newfoundland and Labrador initiated the hunting ban in early 2013 as an action to help increase the population size for 5 years, in which the herd dropped to less than 9000 from an 800,000 size (resulted in a 99\% decrease). In particular, the Labrador Inuit depended upon the GRCH, once one of the largest caribou herds in the world, to fulfill their utilitarian, spiritual, and cultural needs. For generations, the hunting of the GRCH by the Inuit people provided them with a staple food supply, nourishment, and materials and facilitated the intergenerational sharing of knowledge and important social norms, all of which are critical to life in Arctic and subarctic environments. Research has been done within all 5 Nunatsiavut communities (Nain, Hopedale, Makkovik, Postville, and Rigolet) and the results have been documented by the researcher. Preliminary results will be provided in writing or by verbal communication to inform interested persons—specifically to Nunatsiavut Inuit who are affected by this hunting ban. This research will explore whether best practice examples can be identified where wildlife management polices better reflect the needs of resource users.