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Alsek Moose Management Plan
Background

During the 1970's moose were considered to be abundant in the Haines Junction area which was a popular hunting destination for Yukon residents. However, between 1981 and 1984 moose numbers declined from about 570 to 330 and the percentage of yearlings in the population dropped from 12% to 1%. In response, the Yukon government conducted a wolf control program from 1983 to 1987 and in 1984 introduced harvest restrictions for residents and non-residents which have been maintained to the present day.

The Champagne & Aishihik First Nation (CAFN) also voluntarily reduced hunting in the area to assist with the recovery and some hunting activities shifted northward into the Aishihik area as a result.

However, a 50% decline of the Aishihik Woodland caribou herd from 1981 to 1991 resulted in harvest restrictions and wolf control in the Aishihik area beginning in 1992. The initiation of the Aishihik Caribou Recovery Program, with its requirement for reduced hunting in the area, renewed hunting interests in the Alsek moose population which had reached about 495 with 14% yearlings in 1990 but was reputed by local accounts to be declining since that time. This plus concerns expressed about the permit system for residents prompted the Alsek Renewable Resources Council (ARRC) to propose development of a moose management plan for the portion of Champagne & Aishihik Traditional Territory (CATT) south of the caribou recovery program.

Preparation

In the fall of 1996, the Yukon Department of Renewable Resources (YDRR) together with the Champagne & Aishihik Department of Renewable Resources and the ARRC invited other management authorities to cooperate on the preparation and completion of a moose management plan for the 'Alsek Area'. These 'partners' included: Kluane National Park, Kluane Park Management Board, British Columbia Parks, and British Columbia Environment.

The partners met on October 22, 1996 to formalize preparations from the plan, at which time the boundaries of the planning area were determined, arrangements for a reference document were made, a planning workshop was scheduled and the ARRC formally took charge as coordinator of the plan. The partners also held a workshop planning meeting on May 1, 1997 to review the concerns, rehearse the format and ensure that all the relevant background information was assembled. Responsibilities for products of the plan were also assigned as follows:

1. Reference manual - YTG
2. Plan document - YTG
3. Annual planning schedule - ARRC
4. Public Communications - ARRC
5. 3 Dimensional map of Champagne & Aishihik Traditional Territory - ARRC
6. Annual plan report - ARRC (in annual report)

A management planning workshop was hosted by the ARRC in Haines Junction on May 13-14, 1997 and was attended by representatives of the partners plus invited participants (see attached list).

Following the workshop, the plan was drafted by YDRR and reviewed by the partners and the public following which it now serves as the guideline for managing moose in the Alsek Area.

Format

The Alsek Moose Management Planning process is designed according to similar community based wildlife management plans in the Yukon which incorporate the following components:

1. Reference Manual - this document summarizes existing scientific/local/traditional knowledge about the species, its habitats and its management in the planning area and is prepared by the Yukon Department of Renewable Resources with substantial input from the other government agencies.
2. Community consultation - community concerns focus the plan on particular areas to be addressed and are the principal framework for deriving solutions and generating actions. Such concerns were discussed at public meetings in Haines Junction and further developed by the Alsek Renewable Resources Council in discussion with the planning partners.
3. Plan - The framework of the plan is a logical reduction from community concerns about the current status of moose and its management to solutions for each concern with a resulting action plan for three years including specific assignment of tasks to the partners. This format reinforces the integration of the plan's components, as well as providing a simple reference for program budgeting, monitoring progress, producing annual reports and revisions and summarizing each partner's contribution to the plan.