Minister's response to my June 24, 2008 letter

October 2, 2008

Gary Allan

Dear Mr. Allan:

Thank you for your letters of April 28, 2008 addressed to Alec Dale, Manager, Wildlife Science Section and June 24, 2008 addressed to the Honourable Barry Penner, Minister of the Environment, expressing your concerns regarding the management of wolves in British Columbia (BC) and hunting and trapping regulations within parks, conservancies and protected areas. I apologize for the delay in responding.

You are correct in your statement that wolves are a largely misunderstood animal throughout Europe and North America. Ministry of Environment biologists are fully aware of the nature of wolves and the important cultural and ecological role they play in BC. Open hunting and trapping seasons on all species in BC are based on the best available science, population information and conservation objectives. Generally, wolf harvests are incidental to the hunting and trapping activities of other species and wolf-ungulate systems are managed to optimize population sustainability for both predator and prey populations. Areas of the province where there is no closed season and no bag limits are indicative of endangered mountain caribou herds whose viability is currently threatened by wolf predation.

The policy of the ministry is to provide hunting and trapping opportunities for species in which a sustainable harvest can occur. Although a structured inventory has not been completed on wolf populations, regional biologists consider wolf populations in BC to be either stable or increasing throughout the province. In 1979 there was an estimated 6000 wolves in BC; currently the population is estimated at between 8000 to 9000 animals. Current regulations (seasons, species licenses and bag limits) regarding wolf hunting in the province are considered by ministry biologists to be sustainable. Compulsory reporting of wolves is currently taking place in Region 1 (Vancouver Island), Region 2 (Lower Mainland) and Region 4 (Kootenays) to monitor the harvest of wolves in these areas and modify regulations if necessary. In locations where populations are considered sufficiently healthy and where monitoring activities is not necessary, compulsory reporting is not required.

Presence or absence of hunting and trapping activities within areas administered under the Park Act are the result of public consultation through Land Use Planning processes and subsequent Park Management Plans. Hunting and trapping in areas of BC administered under the Park Act are, by policy, more conservative than outside parks. Currently, there are approximately 250 parks which are closed to hunting and trapping. Additionally, there are approximately 150 ecological reserves and 11 national parks which are closed to hunting and trapping and approximately 65 provincial parks have shorter open hunting seasons than adjacent lands.

Thank you again for your letter. I appreciate you bringing your views on these important wildlife issues to my attention.

Sincerely,


Barry Penner
Minister