The Honourable Elvis Loveless, Minister of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture, today announced that the Provincial Government will carry over 25 per cent of unsold 2020 non-resident moose licences to the 2021 hunting season in eligible Moose Management Areas (MMA), to help offset lost revenues of outfitters this season.
This change to the upcoming 2020-21 Big Game Management Plan provides further support to the outfitting industry, which has been hard hit by COVID-19 travel restrictions.
The Provincial Government will also refund all unsold non-resident licences, and has extended the deadline for outfitters to order non-resident licences, from mid-August to mid-December 2020.
Using science-based criteria to assess populations, non-resident moose licence carryovers are supported in 30 of 35 MMAs without affecting the sustainability of moose populations. Four MMAs – 8, 20, 28 and 41 – are excluded from licence carryovers based on local declining abundance and quotas, and low proportions of males in the population; MMA 10 will be determined depending on winter 2021 moose population survey results. Carrying over caribou quotas is not sustainable and is not being considered.
The departments of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture, and Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation, jointly manage and regulate the non-resident hunting industry. Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture monitors and assesses big game populations and establishes sustainable harvest quotas and policy for moose and caribou. Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation monitors outfitter compliance and determines allocation of established non-resident quota among outfitters.
Quotes
“Like many sectors, travel restrictions associated with COVID-19 have made this year’s hunting season a challenging one for Newfoundland and Labrador’s outfitters. With sound, sustainable management of our wildlife resources always first and foremost, this latest support of a 25 per cent carryover of unsold, 2020 non-resident moose licences to the 2021 hunting season, shows our firm commitment to this important industry.”
Honourable Elvis Loveless
Minister of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture
“The non-resident hunting sector employs around 1,300 people, mainly in rural communities, and generates over $50 million annually in direct revenue. More than 85 per cent of its clients come from the United States. Given the loss of revenue for the outfitting sector and the value non-resident hunting provides to rural Newfoundland and Labrador, we are pleased to offer support to our outfitters.”
Honourable Bernard Davis
Minister of Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation
“Challenges are nothing new to outfitters, but COVID-19 has created the most difficult challenge our industry has ever faced. Border closures and travel restrictions have crippled nearly our entire industry – which typically welcomes more than 7,000 non-resident hunters and anglers to the province annually – and most of our members will go 22 months with little or no revenue. Today’s announcement and our partnership with the Provincial Government will help offset an immense loss in revenue, and help ensure our resource and industry remain viable and sustainable.”
Ron Hicks
President, Newfoundland and Labrador Outfitters Association
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Learn more
Moose Management Areas – Newfoundland
2020-21 Hunting and Trapping Guide
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Media contacts
Craig Renouf
Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture
709-637-2923, 640-6922
craigrenouf@gov.nl.ca
Debbie Marnell
Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation
709-729-4570, 699-9048
debbiemarnell@gov.nl.ca
Ron Hicks
Newfoundland and Labrador Outfitters Association
709-489-3017
snowshoe@nf.sympatico.ca