Coming together for caribou

The Gwich’in have lived in balance with the Porcupine Caribou herd since before any mark of modern history and, as expected, officials in the U.S. administration tasked with advancing destruction of the herd’s nursery recognized that it was in their best interest to discard that. The Record of Decision validates our experience of the erosion of integrity in assessments, process and respect: our Traditional Knowledge disrespected, our requests for consultation ignored, and our concerns disregarded. In finalizing the Oil and Gas leasing alternative, the U.S. administration violated our inherent and human rights, and the rights of all of the Indigenous users of the herd in Canada. But our rights cannot be discarded nor our voices silenced.

The Porcupine caribou herd has sustained Gwich'in and Inuvialuit people for thousands of years. While many other communities in the Northwest Territories suffer the hardships of declining caribou, the Porcupine remains one of the last great healthy migratory herds in the world. While the Government of the Northwest Territories supports a balanced approach to caribou conservation and economic development, our government is deeply concerned about the recent decision of the U.S. administration to open up all Porcupine caribou calving and post-calving lands to oil and gas development. The GNWT remains committed to working with our co-management partners to support the wise management of the Porcupine herd.

The Inuvialuit have depended on the Porcupine Caribou for hundreds of years for food, cultural and social well-being. The important role of this caribou herd is reflected in the protections and conservation measures provided under the Inuvialuit Final Agreement. These include provisions for the implementation of the Porcupine Caribou Management Agreement (PCMA), the establishment of Ivvavik National Park and the conservation measures for the Yukon North Slope as means to cooperatively manage the herd and protect the Porcupine Caribou calving grounds and habitat that lay within the Inuvialuit Settlement Region.

 The Inuvialuit Game Council is not against development but feels there needs to be a balance struck between economic gain and indigenous cultural and social well-being. The Council is troubled by regulatory decisions that do not take into account the potentially negative impacts that opening ANWR to oil and gas development may have on this herd, the habitat it relies on and the many indigenous groups that depend on it for their traditional practices. The Inuvialuit Game Council continues to work with the other Parties to ensure the persistence of this herd for future generations.