Science Response 2016/043

Update to the proportion of eastern Hudson Bay beluga harvested and implications for harvest allocations in Nunavik

Context

Hunters living in northern Quebec (Nunavik) and in the community of Sanikiluaq on the Belcher Islands (Nunavut) harvest beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) from a mix of the Eastern Hudson Bay (EHB) stock and Western Hudson Bay (WHB) beluga stock. The WHB stock is composed of one or more other stocks that have been grouped together until additional stock identification studies are completed (Fig. 1).

The subsistence harvest of beluga whales in Nunavik is managed under a three-year management plan (April 24, 2014–January 31, 2017) via a combination of area closures (Little Whale, Nastapoka and Mucalic River estuaries) and a Total Allowable Take (TAT) established by the Nunavik Marine Region Wildlife Board (NMRWB)(Fig. 1). In Sanikiluaq (Nunavut), there are no restrictions on the total number of beluga whales that can be taken, but the municipality has voluntarily closed their beluga harvest from 15 July to 30 September each year, as a conservation measure to protect animals belonging to the EHB beluga stock.

Using a population model fitted to a series of aerial survey estimates, DFO Science provided advice that a maximum reported harvest of 180 EHB belugas would respect the management plan`s objective that the probability of an EHB population decline not exceed 50% (DFO 2014). At that time, genetic research suggested that Sanikiluaq hunters would land 18 EHB beluga whales over three years, and the TAT was set at 162 EHB whales within the Nunavik Marine Region. All estimates take into account animals that are struck, but not recovered and presumed dead (Struck and Lost). As a result, a combined landed catch of 180 EHB belugas was anticipated to be taken by Nunavik and Sanikiluaq hunters over the course of the management plan.

Recently, new information has been published on the estimated proportion of EHB beluga whales taken by hunters in the Nunavik and Sanikiluaq subsistence harvests (DFO 2016). Based on this new information, Makivik Corporation (`Makivik`) submitted a proposal to the NMRWB requesting that the existing Nunavik TAT for EHB belugas be modified, arguing that it is likely that the number of EHB belugas in the landed catch in Sanikiluaq is lower than what was assumed when the management plan for the Nunavik Marine Region was established.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) Ecosystem and Fisheries Management has asked DFO Science for advice about how this new information on the proportion of EHB belugas taken in the different areas, will affect our understanding of current harvest levels of EHB beluga and if the changes requested by Makivik will have an impact on the overall sustainable harvest of EHB belugas in Nunavik authorized under the current TAT.

This Science Response Report results from the Science Response Process of June 3, 2016 on the Update for the Eastern Hudson Bay Beluga Proportions Harvested.

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