Transcript Presentation

Harvest and the
Fortymile Caribou Herd Recovery
Historical photo of
Fortymile caribou
swimming the Yukon
River near Dawson
A hundred here, a thousand there
A score down in the hollow,
Spread far and wide in countless bands
As far as glass could follow.
* * *
Three days we camped there in their midst
Our work around completing
Through all northwestward held their course
We noticed no depleting.
H.S. Bostock, 1979
Except from “The Caribou”, a poem recounting
one of the last great migrations of the Fortymile
herd south of the Dawson Range in 1933.
Fortymile Caribou
1930 to 1939
Fortymile Caribou
1976 to 1990
Fortymile Caribou
Fortymile Caribou
Fortymile Caribou Herd Management Plan (1995)
The vision for the Fortymile herd and its
ecosystem:
• To restore the abundance and diversity of wildlife in this
ecosystem, of which the Fortymile herd is the most
important indicator species.
• To promote healthy wildlife populations for their intrinsic
value, as well as consumptive and nonconsumptive uses.
Fortymile Caribou
5 sections:
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Limit effects of harvest
Reduce predation effects
Habitat protection
Monitor plan’s effectiveness
Maintain public awareness and acceptance
Fortymile Caribou
Sound science, reviewed by National
Academy of Sciences:
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Each year we conducted a calf mortality study
Herd census
Composition Survey
Herd and range condition sampling
Wolf survey
Moose and sheep surveys to evaluate additional
effects of wolf control
Fortymile Caribou
Fortymile caribou
numbers
Increasing
about
Caribou numbers
60000
50000
2,000 caribou
per year since 1995
40000
30000
20000
10000
0
1970
1975
1980
1985
1990
1995
Year
2000
2005
2010
2015
Fortymile Caribou
Post-management plan
• Harvest management plans 2001-2005 and
2006-2012
• (Drafting of the next plan underway)
• Primary management goal = herd growth
• Secondary goal = increased harvest
• Harvest started at 2%, shared with Yukon 65:35
Fortymile Caribou
Fortymile caribou
numbers
Increasing
about
Caribou numbers
60000
50000
2,000 caribou
per year since 1995
40000
30000
20000
10000
0
1970
1975
1980
1985
1990
1995
Year
2000
2005
2010
2015
1200
FORTYMILE CARIBOU HARVESTS, 1990-2009
HARVEST LIMITED BY QUOTA
1000
800
RECENT 5-YR AVERAGE
HARVEST OF 831 BY ALL
ALASKAN RESIDENTS
600
400
RECENT 5-YR AVERAGE
HARVEST OF 151 BY
FEDERALLY-QUALIFIED
HUNTERS
CURRENT (1996) ANS = 350-400
200
0
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
FEDERALLY QUALIFIED
FEDERALLY QUALIFIED IN 25C
OTHER ALASKAN
NON-RESIDENT
UNKNOWN RESIDENCY
ANS LOWER
ANS UPPER
Fortymile Caribou