Nunavut Wildlife Management Board

Nunavut Wildlife Management Board
Name	Nunavut Wildlife Management Board
Formation	1993
Type	Crown corporation
Headquarters	Iqaluit, Nunavut
Region served	Nunavut
Leader title	Chair

Nunavut Wildlife Management Board is a co-management body established under the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement to oversee wildlife conservation, harvesting, and research in the territory now known as Nunavut. It acts at the intersection of Inuit rights recognized in the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami framework, territorial wildlife policy implemented by the Government of Nunavut, and federal statutes such as the Species at Risk Act and the Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994. The Board's mandate blends traditional Inuit knowledge represented through organizations like the Qikiqtaaluk Corporation with scientific expertise from institutions such as the Canadian Wildlife Service and universities including the University of Manitoba.

History

The Board was created as part of the settlement embodied in the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement concluded between Inuit organizations represented by the Tunngavik Federation of Nunavut (now Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated) and the federal Crown represented by the Government of Canada and territorial authorities such as the Territorial Lands and Resources Directorate (Nunavut). Its establishment in 1993 followed antecedent co-management initiatives including the Inuit Final Agreement precedents and the formation of regional bodies influenced by cases under the Supreme Court of Canada that recognized Aboriginal harvesting rights, notably decisions involving the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement and jurisprudence such as R v Sparrow. Early Board activity intersected with wildlife crises addressed through partnerships with the Canadian Arctic Resources Committee and research funded by programs under the Polar Continental Shelf Program.

Mandate and Legal Framework

The Board's mandate derives principally from the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement schedule provisions creating wildlife management structures and is implemented through instruments aligned with the Territorial Lands Act and federal statutes like the Fisheries Act where marine mammals are concerned. Its legal authority includes advising and making decisions on harvesting quotas, habitat protection, and licensing in collaboration with bodies such as the Nunavut Planning Commission and the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (2012) processes. The Board operates within obligations enshrined by instruments recognizing Inuit harvesting rights established through the Royal Proclamation of 1763 lineage of Aboriginal title recognition and subsequent constitutional protections under section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.

Governance and Structure

Membership reflects a tripartite model drawing representatives from Inuit organizations such as Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated, federal agencies including the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and territorial authorities like the Government of Nunavut Ministries of Environment and Culture. The Board's internal committees have included scientific advisory panels populated by researchers affiliated with the Canadian Museum of Nature, the Nunavut Research Institute, and academic centres such as the University of Calgary. Decision-making processes incorporate Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit through collaboration with regional wildlife boards like the Kivalliq Wildlife Board and the Qikiqtani Wildlife Board, linking community-based monitoring programs such as those coordinated by the Iqaluit Hunters and Trappers Organization.

Programs and Activities

Programs span species management plans for pinnipeds and cetaceans monitored with partners like the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and avian conservation initiatives aligned with the Bird Studies Canada network. The Board supports community-based monitoring that leverages collaborations with the Canadian Polar Commission, research projects funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council and data sharing with the Nunavut Wildlife Research Trust. It administers harvest reporting systems tied to licensing regimes, enforces seasonal closures in coordination with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Nunavut Court of Justice, and sponsors educational outreach with institutions such as the ArcticNet research network.

Relationships with Inuit Organizations and Governments

The Board functions as a fulcrum among Inuit corporations like the Qikiqtaaluk Corporation, regional Inuit associations including the Kivalliq Inuit Association and the Kitikmeot Inuit Association, territorial ministries of the Government of Nunavut, and federal departments such as the Department of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs. It negotiates co-management arrangements with the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board-adjacent entities—regional wildlife boards and community organizations—while participating in intergovernmental forums such as meetings involving the Council of Yukon First Nations and national tables convened by Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami to align policy across Arctic jurisdictions.

Funding and Resources

Funding derives from mechanisms established under the Nunavut Land Claims Agreement including program transfers from the federal Indigenous Services Canada and operational contributions from the Government of Nunavut. Research and programmatic activities are augmented by grants from federal bodies such as the Polar Continental Shelf Program and competitive awards from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. Infrastructure support and technical assistance have been provided through partnerships with the Canadian High Arctic Research Station and capacity-building initiatives run by organizations like the Arctic Council working groups.

Challenges and Controversies

The Board navigates tensions over resource allocation highlighted in disputes involving commercial interests represented by the Northern Transportation Company Limited and conservation advocacy by groups such as the World Wildlife Fund Canada. Climate change impacts documented by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and industrial development proposals reviewed under the Nunavut Impact Review Board create contested decision spaces, as do legal challenges invoking precedent from cases like R v Marshall and intergovernmental disagreements seen in negotiations with the Government of Canada. Debates over the incorporation of Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit, species listing under the Species at Risk Act, and the enforcement role of provincial and federal agencies have produced public controversies involving stakeholders including the Canadian Wildlife Federation and regional hunter-trapper organizations.

Category:Organizations based in Nunavut