Harvesting of Dolphin and Union caribou in Cambridge Bay must cease immediately, the Department of Environment announced on Friday afternoon.
The maximum limit of 30 caribou allowed to be hunted this season has been reached and no further killing of the animals is permitted. Any additional harvesting of the herd will be a violation of the Nunavut Wildlife Act, will be investigated and may result in enforcement action, according to the department.
Any remaining hunting tags are to be returned to the local wildlife office or the Ekaluktutiak Hunters and Trappers Organization.
The total allowable harvest was put in place by the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board to “support the recovery of the Dolphin Union caribou population and is a critical piece in the co-management efforts to allow the herd to recover and provide harvesting opportunities for future generations,” the department stated.