By ROBERT MATAS
Vancouver
From Friday's Globe and Mail
— A controversial three-year moratorium on hunting grizzly
bears in British Columbia, which came into effect Thursday may
not last very long.
Moments after Premier Ujjal Dosanjh announced the ban on
hunting, Liberal Leader Gordon Campbell said a Liberal
government would ensure proper management of the grizzly bear
population through a review panel of scientists — and not by a
moratorium.
With the support of more than 50 per cent in recent polling,
the Liberals are expected to easily win a provincial election
which must be held this spring.
The province's own wildlife branch has said that the
available scientific information does not justify a moratorium,
Mr. Campbell said, referring to an environment ministry briefing
note.
The moratorium was "a crass political scheme aimed at
selling out rural British Columbians to buy urban votes,"
he also said.
Mr. Dosanjh announced the hunting ban after significant local
pressure and an international advertising campaign by several
environmental groups. About 400 bears are killed annually in
B.C.
A group of 68 biologists have called for a moratorium until
comprehensive population studies were completed. More than 100
tourism operators have also called for an end to the hunt. The
most recent public-opinion poll, taken five years ago, showed 77
per cent of British Columbians wanted a total ban.
Mr. Dosanjh told reporters Thursday the decision to shut down
the popular grizzly bear hunt was one of the toughest decisions
of his life.
The hunt means about $200-million in economic activity in
B.C. A 10-day hunt can cost as much as $14,000.
Nevertheless, a temporary ban was necessary to allow time for
scientists to count the bears. The provincial wildlife branch
estimates the bear population to range between 10,000 to 13,000
but anti-hunt groups use the estimate of 4,000 to 6,000 bears.
He also said that the government would mitigate losses
suffered by outfitters who depend on the hunt for their
livelihood. He refused to reveal how much the government
anticipates will be paid out in compensation.
Doug Walker, the executive director of the B.C. Wildlife
Federation, the voice of hunters and anglers, said he was
furious about the moratorium. "It's not based on science.
It's based on politics and misinformation...it makes no
sense," he said.
But Bill Wareham, executive director of Sierra Club of B.C.,
applauded the ban and predicted that further studies will show
that most of the province's grizzlies and their habitat must be
protected.
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