Objective-4

Ensure that harvest of polar bear subpopulations is managed in a biologically sustainable manner in accordance with sound conservation practices

Ensure that harvest of polar bear subpopulations is managed in a biologically sustainable manner in accordance with sound conservation practices

• HM-A1 - Define the components necessary for a “quantitative assessment of the population”
• HM-A2 - Define “biologically sustainable harvest” in terms of conserving polar bear subpopulations for future generations
• HM-A3 - Define the components of a “demonstrated sustainable harvest management regime” 

Summary of the Actions:

The harvest management actions included in the 2020-2023 action plan will jointly result in a white paper that identifies the components necessary to define a quantitative assessment of the population (HM-A1), biologically sustainable harvest (HM-A2), and a demonstrated sustainable harvest management regime (HM-A3).  This suite of actions lays the groundwork for consistent assessments of harvest management regimes across the circumpolar arctic. In order to determine if harvest is sustainable in a given subpopulation, we first need to establish consistent definitions of the basic components needed to carry out an analysis. These actions provide the first step needed in this process. By ensuring that harvest is managed in a sustainable manner, we will contribute directly to the vision of the CAP (to secure the long-term persistence of polar bears in the wild that represents the genetic, behavioral, life-history, and ecological diversity of the species) by minimizing the threat of overharvest. The definitions outlined in the white paper will create a foundation for the implementation of harvest management actions in subsequent year

Action Leads:

Sam Iverson (Environment and Climate Change Canada,