The Yukon's Environment minister is challenging the failing grade Ecojustice has awarded the territory for its protection of species at risk.

"These kinds of reports from advocacy groups like Ecojustice are based on a very narrow perspective,” Currie Dixon said in an interview this morning.

While the territory may not have specific Species at Risk legislation, Dixon said "in my opinion, it (the Ecojustice report) takes no consideration of the full scope of relevant information or considerations that are specific to jurisdictions like Yukon.

"It pays no heed at all to the very important role of First Nations or the Fish and Wildlife Management Board or RRCs (Renewable Resource Councils) in the management of fish and wildlife in Yukon,” he said.

Dixon notes that the Umbrella Final Agreement highlights the Fish and Wildlife Management Board and the RRCs as the "primary instruments for renewable resource management.”

On Nov. 6 in the legislature, Kate White, the NDP's Environment critic, quizzed Dixon about Species at Risk legislation that was drafted by a previous Yukon Party government in 2009.

"Mr. Speaker, if the previous Yukon Party government believed that it was important enough to consult twice in nine years and then go as far as drafting legislation for the Yukon to actively, locally manage species at risk, then why did this current government let this important legislation disappear into some long-forgotten filing cabinet?” White asked.

Dixon said this morning he doesn't think the territory currently needs specific Species at Risk legislation.

"I think we've been able to continue to identify and create management plans and recovery strategies for species at risk absent specific territorial legislation,” he said, noting the recent release of a management plan for bison.

"In Yukon, we've identified through the co-management bodies like the Fish and Wildlife Board in conjunction with the First Nations that we can have a responsible hunt of bison while managing the species at risk.

"Having some broad prohibition on hunting or killing species at risk is totally irrespective of the specific needs of a jurisdiction like Yukon,” he said.

Dixon also noted the Yukon participates in the national Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada, a group that identifies species in need of protection.

In terms of habitat protection, the minister said, there are thousands of square kilometres designated as Habitat Protection Areas in the territory "specifically because they are critical wildlife habitat.

"At this point in time, I think we've got the tools to identify species at risk, we've got the capacity and ability to develop management plans and implement them, and I haven't seen any evidence or been convinced that a specific piece of Yukon species at risk legislation would give us anymore tools or provide us with any additional ability that we don't already have.”

While extensive changes to the federal Species at Risk Act were not included in the fall budget implementation bill, an overhaul of the legislation is expected.

Dixon said any federal changes will be monitored.

"If they are significant to the point where we feel that they don't do a good enough job of protecting Yukon's interests and Yukon's species at risk, then we would maybe reconsider our position.”