Vuntut Gwitchin First Nation Chief Joe Linklater is applauding new Porcupine caribou herd hunting regulations that took effect Monday.

The rules restrict hunters in the Yukon to bulls only and make the reporting of harvests mandatory.

The new conservation measures, announced last June, are designed to sustain a dwindling herd, and make hunting cows illegal.

Under the new regulations, aboriginal hunters can still take unlimited bull caribou while licensed hunters (non-aboriginal) are now limited to just one bull.

As well, both non-aboriginal and aboriginal harvesters must report their kills.

"We've always taken the precautionary principle in terms of managing the herd since it's declined, so I'm glad the Yukon government has finally put some conservation measures in that are enforceable,” Linklater told the Star today.

In 1989, the herd's population was estimated at 178,000. Twenty years later, it is now estimated to be between 90,000 and 100,000.

But as the Porcupine's range spans Alaska, the Yukon and the region surrounding Aklavik, N.W.T., previous efforts to hunt bulls only by hunters from the Vuntut community of Old Crow are moot if other user groups do not follow suit, said Linklater.

Two years ago, the Porcupine Caribou Management Board – that includes representation from the Vuntut, Inuvialuit, Gwich'in Tribal Council, Tr'ondek Hwech'in, Nacho Nyak Dun and Yukon and N.W.T. governments – met in Inuvik N.W.T. to formulate a management strategy

In June, the board published a draft Porcupine Caribou Management Plan, but Linklater believes it lacks teeth.

"From the Vuntut's perspective, we wanted some concrete decisions in the (Porcupine caribou) management plan, but the chair indicated they wanted a voluntary hunting and reporting system which absolutely will not work,” said Linklater, who had sharp words for the board's chair, Joe Tetlichi.

"I'm disappointed in Tetlichi .... I would hope the chair would be more concerned about the caribou than he is about the hunters.”

According to the draft management plan, any hunting restrictions are voluntary in nature until the Porcupine caribou herd reaches 45,000 animals; then all hunting would be prohibited.

Attempts by the Star to contact Tetlichi were unsuccessful as of press time this afternoon.

However, when the government announced coming changes to hunting regulations in June, Tetlichi said such a move would undermine the board.

Typically, aboriginal hunters are reluctant to report harvests or agree to overarching hunting restrictions as they go against traditional harvesting rights enshrined in respective self-government agreements.

However, Linklater said such rights come with responsibilities.

"We do have rights but we also have responsibility to manage our wildlife,” Linklater told the Star.

"We can talk and talk about our rights to hunt and fish, but if there's nothing left at the end of the day, those rights aren't going to mean much.”