As Minister of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture, I am pleased to share the 2024-25 Hunting and Trapping Guide with you. Hunting and trapping are entrenched in our traditional values of respecting and interacting with the land. These activities continue to play an essential role in Newfoundland and Labrador’s past, present and future, and offer increased food security, recreational benefits, and significant economic opportunities to the people of our province.
I’m happy to note that we are marking an improvement in American Marten (Island of Newfoundland Population) numbers by down listing its status from Threatened to Vulnerable under the provincial Endangered Species Act. Newfoundland Marten is one of only 14 mammal species native to the island of Newfoundland. First considered endangered in 1996, recovery programs in place since the 1990s have supported population growth, resulting in downlisting from Endangered to Threatened in 2007.
With a current population estimate of 2,500 to 2,800 mature animals, Newfoundland Marten numbers have steadily improved. This reflects years of cooperation and hard work from the Newfoundland Marten Recovery Team, trappers and hunters, Indigenous Governments and Organizations, industry, environmental organizations, and other interested parties. I thank them all for their dedication to conserving biodiversity and taking action to help ensure no species becomes extinct or extirpated in Newfoundland and Labrador. In light of this change of status the department will work collaboratively with stakeholders to develop a management strategy for marten in the future.
Another good news story relates to an example of outstanding wildlife management planning. In 2019, the department re-established an offshore caribou herd on the Grey Islands on the Great Northern Peninsula. This initiative aimed to safeguard the long-term existence of caribou populations and provide new hunting opportunities as the herd grows. I am pleased to report that due to positive results, a small caribou quota will be re-established for this area in 2024-25.
For new hunters and youth enrolling in firearm safety and hunter and trapper education programs, we will continue to support various outreach opportunities involving non-government organizations, local rod and gun clubs, and volunteers to encourage and promote safe and responsible outdoor activities, and the conservation and stewardship of our valuable wildlife resources.
While the dedication of wildlife research and management staff, including our resource enforcement and regional services teams is essential to the sustainable management of wildlife and biodiversity, conservation is a shared responsibility. We rely heavily on input from licensed hunters and trappers to provide harvest information through licence returns, and submission of moose and caribou jawbones, black bear teeth and skulls, and canid skulls and carcasses. I encourage all hunters to share your harvest information with our department this season.
I wish you all a safe and successful hunting and trapping season.
Sincerely,
Honourable Elvis Loveless
Minister of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture