Nunavut Tunngavik urges Baffin hunters to wait for caribou tags

Nunavut Tunngavik is calling on hunters on Baffin Island to follow the rules for a limited caribou hunt in the region.

Nunavut Environment Minister Johnny Mike announced Wednesday that a quota of 250 male caribou has been set.

But NTI's director of environment Paul Irngaut said hunters can't just go out and hunt caribou, there's a process to follow. He says hunters are not allowed to hunt until they actually have tags.

"The Nunavut Wildlife Management Board still has to give it to the Qikiqtaaluk Wildlife Board, and they're the ones that will have to allocate the tags to the HTOs in the Baffin region," Irgnaut said.

Once the communities get their tags, the local Hunters and Trappers Organizations will decide how the process will work in their communities.

There has been a moratorium on hunting caribou in the Baffin region since Jan. 1. It was put in place over concerns about the dwindling caribou numbers. The 250 quota will be reviewed after another survey of caribou numbers this fall.