Nunavut hunter calls for changes to polar bear rules after fatal summer attacks

A hunter from Arviat, Nunavut, says more and more polar bears are taking over traditional Inuit hunting grounds, leaving hunters feeling scared and helpless to defend themselves especially with current polar bear conservation rules.

Brian Aglukark was one of the first men to respond to the polar bear attack that killed 31-year-old Aaron Gibbons while hewas on a fishing trip earlier this summer. In late August, three hunters from Naujaat were involved in this summer's second fatal polar bear attack that claimed one life.

"It's been a tough summer," said Aglukark.

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Aglukark said he and other hunters noticed that, in recent years,polar bears seem to be less afraid of human activity, and people are spotting them more frequently near communities.

"[The bears] seem to be very comfortable some of them go right up to the nets," he said, adding that last year, a polar bear came to shore and started eating a whale that he and a group of hunters had caught.

"These polar bears seem to have no fear at all in human activity."

We're just watching in the distance, afraid of these bears because they're free to do whatever they want.- Brian Aglukark, hunter from Arviat

Aglukark said hunters are expressing fears about defending themselves as they are bound by quotas.

Earlier in August, it was reported that several polar bears were shot without tags in Arviat and weren't harvested. Arviat had already used up its quota of polar bear tags from last fall, so no hunting is currently permitted.

"There's genuine fear from the hunters," Aglukarksaid, adding there's a lack of understanding of what hunters are allowed to doin self-defence when a quota is reached so hunters end up risking their lives.

"We're fighting against the bears and we have been defeated by the bears and the law," he said.

"[The rules are] taking over Inuit tradition and the bears are taking over Inuit. We're just watching in the distance, afraid of these bears because they're free to do whatever they want."

Aglukark saidhe knows of even experienced hunterswho don't want to go to their regular hunting spots.

Calls for updates to bear management structure

Aglukark is calling for more clarity and updates to the territory's current polar bear management plan, and assurance that Inuithunting and being out on the land isn't compromised due to increases in human-bear conflicts.

"That lifestyle, that hunting lifestyle, that camping lifestyle, is starting to fight for space with the polar bear," he said.

Human life and human safety is paramount. It takes priority always.- Brandon Laforest, World Wildlife Fund

The current total allowable harvest or quota for Nunavut in2017-2018 is 497 polar bears, according to the territory's Department of Environment.

For Arviat, the quota was set at 10 polar bears for that same period.

According to a joint federal and territorialdocument on polar bears, quotas include "all known human-caused mortalities," like harvesting, sport hunting, and illegal kills. Bears killed while defending one's life or property are also included in the quota.

The only exception to the quota is "humane kills," explainedPeterPolanowski, spokesperson for the territorial environment department. That includes killing sick, severely injured or malnourished bears.

The government didn't specify why defence kills are includedin the quota, but saidall human-caused deaths are counted for polar bear management reasons.

"People should not concern themselves with potential consequencesif they feel in fear of their life and property," Polanowskisaid in an email.

He also said there are no fines for going over aquota. The only consequenceifa community goes over aquota, he said, is that itwill be reduced the next year.

Human life, safety 'paramount': WWF

Brandon Laforest, senior specialist of Arctic species with World Wildlife Fund, says the organizationaimsto try and limithuman-polar bear conflicts so that people are safe.

"Human life and human safety is paramount. It takes priority always," he said.

The organization'sjoint polar bear patrol program in Arviatwas introduced in 2010 because of high rates of human-bear conflicts in the community.

• Arviat polar bear patrols reduce bear deaths, says WWF-Canada

Laforest said for the last two years, the program has also been training younger apprentices.

Laforestsaid the organization is working with a technology company to developnew technology that will warncommunities when a polar bear is approaching town. It's currently in a pilot stage.

With files from Jordan Konek and Juanita Taylor