10.7.1 Canadian Approach to TEK Inclusion in Management and Research

Presentation Title: Traditional Ecological Knowledge inclusion in Management and Research in Canada
Summary: This presentation discusses the inclusion of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) in polar bear management and research in Canada. Inuit Traditional Knowledge (ITK) has a long history of being used by Inuit to successfully manage and conserve wildlife, including polar bears, and is used by Inuit to carry out various aspects of their livelihoods, such as acquiring food. Traditional Knowledge (TK), working in parallel with scientific information (together they are known as the ‘best available information’), is both vital and beneficial to inform wildlife management decisions. In 2013, a need was identified for the Range States to develop a common understanding of how TK can be defined and how it should be used in Polar Bear Management Decisions. The Circumpolar Action Plan TEK Working Group and the Canadian Polar Bear Technical Committee (PBTC) have arrived at different definitions of TEK, and multiple other definitions exist. While there are some differences, many TK definitions share common elements. In Canada, Land Claims Agreements often establish legal requirements to include TEK in decision-making. Four examples of TEK studies relating to polar bear in Canada are highlighted.