Bear Matters has permission to post recently submitted letters to Premier Campbell and Minister Penner by Biologist, Wayne McCrory, RPBio
Date: Tue, 29 Apr 2008 06:31:30 -0700To: “OfficeofthePremier, Office PREM:EX” <Premier@gov.bc.ca>From: Wayne McCrory <waynem@vws.org>Subject: Fwd: Coastal Grizzly bear no-hunting areas?
Dear Premier Campbell,
As you well know grizzly bear hunting is a very controversial issue in the province and that the European Union still maintains its ban on the import of grizzly bear trophies from B.C. Valhalla Wilderness has been active in conservation in B.C. including the B.C. coast for the past 30 years, starting with the Khutzeymateen Grizzly Sanctuary. One of the successes of this habitat protection is that is part of a much larger grizzly bear no-hunting reserve from 1982. Two more such areas were proposed nearly two years ago, including a large one that encompasses some of the spirit bear conservancy areas.
A consultation process was started by the Ministry of Environment nearly 1.5 years ago but stalled out last year. I recently asked Minister of Environment Penner what was happening with these grizzly bear no-hunting reserves and he had not even heard about them. Please see my e-mail below. What are the province’s plans to implement these grizzly bear no-hunting reserves and why is the process taking so long? Sincerely, Wayne McCrory. Spirit bear project coordinator,Valhalla Wilderness Society. Date: Fri, 25 Apr 2008 09:02:51 -0700
To: Minister Penner’s Office (Clerk’s e-mail)
From: McCrory Wildlife Services <mccrorywildlife@netidea.com>Subject: Fwd: Coastal Grizzly bear no-hunting areas (Clerk’s name) I was wondering if you received this information and query that I promised I would send Hon. Penner after the Manning Land Trust Alliance conference. Sincerely, Wayne McCrory, RPBio.
Date: Mon, 14 Apr 2008 15:33:07 -0700
To: MOE Clerk’s e-mail
From: McCrory Wildlife Services <mccrorywildlife@netidea.com>Subject: Coastal Grizzly bear no-hunting areas
Hon. Barry Penner
Minister of Environment
Dear Mr. Penner, It was good to discuss some of these bear matters with you at the conference in Manning Park. I promised to send your a brief summary of what I know of the coastal grizzly bear non-hunting areas proposed for the B.C. Coast. There are three that were approved by the North and Central Coast LRMPs.These no hunting zones (for grizzlies only) are dubbed GBMAs or Grizzly Bear Management Areas.
They are intended to serve as population benchmark areas to safeguard grizzlies in the event of population impacts of grizzly hunting (and non-legal mortality) in adjacent hunted areas. The concept of GBMAs is strongly endorsed by the B.C. Grizzly Bear Conservation Strategy, the former Grizzly Bear Scientific Advisory Committee and the more recent Grizzly Bear Advisory Panel created by your administration. In fact, the latter committee in their report to you made strong mention of their support fo the GBMA concept. The three coastal GBMAs are:1. Khutzeymateen (now called Nass-Skeena. Was originally established in 1982. This has made it possible for bear viewing in the Khutzeymateen Sanctuary and Inlet whereby the low numbers of grizzly bears habituated are not subject to hunting outside the sanctuary. This no-hunting reserve iwas re-discussed at the North Coast planning table , along with another one in the Kalum area; and the Nass-Skeena one was approved by the table. 2. Khutzey. Central Coast. Endorsed by CCLRMP 3. Annuhati-Knight Inlet. Endorsed by CCLRMPContrary to expectations, the GBMAs were not announced as part of the Feb. 2006 land-use plan announcement.
According to my previous sources from the Rainforest Solutions Group and a First Nations Individual, the GBMAs were supposed to go forward to First Nations in late 2006 for discussion and then to some sort of public review. This was all to be part of the Land Resource Forum. It was also understanding that this would be completed in mid-2007 and the GBMAs established. All of this was well over a year ago and insofar as I am aware several First Nations and one guide/outfitter on the central coast who would be affected by the Khutze GBMA, nothing appears to have gone forward by way of consultations to pave the way for implementation. Many that I know within the conservation community and some First nation individuals who endorse the concept are anxiously awaiting. There was also a G2G process to establish some black bear no-hunting areas in the spirit bear area as there have been concerns about the uncertain effects of trophy hunting on the gene pool - however much validity there is or is not with this concern it did appear that some black bear no-hunt areas would also be established. The commercial and resident hunting groups were both represented at these planning tables that endorsed the three GBMAs so there is no sound rationale for the hunting community to be opposed to them.
Mr. Penner anything by way of an up-date and your moving this along to implementation would be greatly appreciated. Sincerely,Wayne P. McCrory, Biologist.
