Title of Proposed Regulatory Initiative
A Proposed Regulatory Tool to Implement Adaptive Harvest Management: The
'Red-Yellow-Green' Concept.
Description and Objectives of Initiative
Hunting regulations to manage the sustainable harvest of migratory game birds
are the responsibility of Environment Canada, under the Migratory Birds Convention
Act, 1994. Adaptive Harvest Management (AHM), and other related strategies for
managing sustainable harvest, requires that pre-determined harvest regimes be implemented
when a specified trigger is reached. However, under the federal Regulatory Policy,
the consultations needed to make regulatory changes normally take 6-8 months. This
period is too long to implement harvest strategies like AHM, because the triggers
are based on surveys in May and June during the breeding season, with the consequent
regulatory change to begin only 2 -3 months later in the next hunting season. In this
context, we seek a regulatory alternative that will allow faster response time, and
so have the benefit of the most recent biological information possible, while continuing
to conduct effective consultations with the affected public.
The concept of 'red-yellow-green' is derived from a system used to prevent forest
fires. The system defines regulatory regimes for each pre-determined forest state.
The 'red' regime is enforced when the forest is very dry. It is a restrictive regime
under which it might be prohibited to have fires anywhere in the forest, or even to
camp. The 'yellow' regime is moderately restrictive with camping and campfires allowed,
but only in campgrounds, while the 'green' places no unusual restrictions on camping
or campfires. In this system, predetermined triggers (such as specific measures of
dryness) direct the change from one regime to another. Users are made aware of the
regulatory regime in force by signs posted on access roads.
A similar system is being contemplated for hunting regulations, where the predetermined
harvest frameworks would call for harvest regime changes in response to information
characterizing the state of the harvested population. For example, the 'green' (or
'liberal') regime, would be triggered when populations are abundant, but 'red' conditions
would be indicated when populations were of poor status. Under 'green' conditions,
the daily bag limit might be 6 birds, whereas under the 'red' regime, the bag limit
might be reduced to 2 birds. The specific triggers by which each harvest regime would
be invoked, as well as the regulations that would be in effect under each regime,
would be determined through cooperative development of a harvest strategy.
Under this system, the harvest strategy itself would become the regulation. Comprehensive
consultations would be conducted to develop the triggers and regulations for each
regime. The primary participants would be the Provincial / Territorial governments,
non-government conservation organizations, Aboriginal organizations and hunting groups.
Once agreed to, the triggers and regulations under the strategy would be reviewed
at intervals, but not annually, as is currently the practice.
Each year, hunters would be notified which regime is in force for the coming season
via the 'Summary' of the hunting regulations that is received annually when purchasing
the Migratory Bird Hunting Permit.
Sector(s) Affected
About 180,000 Migratory Game Bird hunters.
Involvement of/Impact on Other Jurisdictions or Federal OGDs
The Harvest Strategy, which outlines the triggers and regulatory packages
in effect under each of 3 or 4 regimes is developed cooperatively through existing
regional fora which include Provincial / Territorial governments, non-government conservation
organizations, Aboriginal organizations and hunting groups.
Key Stakeholders
The key stakeholders are the Provincial / Territorial governments, non-government
conservation organizations, Aboriginal organizations, hunting groups and the federal
and state agencies in the U.S. The Canadian groups will continue to be involved, as
they have been historically, through the regional migratory bird fora. The national
office of Environment Canada's Canadian Wildlife Service will continue to consult
with our American partners.
Assessment of the Initiative
This initiative is in the initial stages of consultation. It is being proposed
in order to improve the system for setting annual hunting regulations. It has been
proposed to the regional migratory bird fora through CWS representatives at those
groups, as well as through the national consultation documents drafted three times
annually, posted on the website, and distributed to more than 700 individuals and
organizations interested in migratory game bird conservation.
Benefits of this proposed initiative:
- Regulations are based on the most recent biological information possible, unlike
at present
- Continue to conduct effective consultations with the affected public, but use
less of their time.
- Clarity for hunters: which regulations are in place under which circumstances
- No increased costs
- Built-in method for reducing uncertainty about the importance of hunting mortality
to waterfowl conservation, through evaluation of competing system models
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