The Marshall Ruling in 1999 by the Canada Supreme Court gave aborigibals the right to hunt and fish in a reasonable manner to make a living and to sustain. Now provincial biologists say that with the natives hunting and killing moose without having to tag or report their killings, it makes it difficult for them to collect accurate data.
Biologists use estimates, aerial surveys and information collected from each year’s moose hunt, to determine herd numbers. With that information they determine how many moose permits to issue each year for the general population.
Officials say they believe there are fewer moose now because they think the aboriginals have harvested more moose in the last few years, therefore they plan to reduce the number of moose permits by about 10%, taking it down to around 3,000.
New Brunswick officials say they would like for the natives to report the number of moose killed. It would make their work easier.
Tom Remington
