Original 1999 Enviromental Assesment Cancel Bear Hunt

If this doesn't make you mad after reading...... We should have sued them for this crap!


http://www.ebr.gov.on.ca/ERS-WEB-Ext...c=&language=en


Decision on Regulation:



A decision was made to amend the regulation as had been proposed.


In addition, MNR established an immediate assistance program to help spring bear hunt operators affected by the closure of the spring bear hunt, and to promote new tourism opportunities. Eligible spring bear hunt operators received $250 per hunter who used their services in spring 1998.


Those eligible to apply for immediate assistance must have: provided bear hunting services (guiding/baiting) and issued Black Bear Hunting Licence Validation Certificates to non-residents of Ontario in the spring of 1998, and/or contracted with and directly provided guiding and baiting services to resident bear hunters in the spring of 1998. Applicants had to be able to demonstrate that they were, as of January 15, 1999, actively engaged as a bear hunt operator serving the Ontario spring bear hunt.


New operators in the spring bear hunt business were eligible for assistance if they could demonstrate that they were in business on January 15, 1999, and had contracted with and received deposits from spring bear hunters prior to that date.


The ministry mailed letters to spring bear hunt operators with application forms, and details about the eligibility requirements and the process for applying. Transition by operators to other tourism revenue sources is being explored as are means of promoting increased participation in the fall bear hunt.


Comment(s) Received on the Proposal: 35347


Public Consultation on the proposal for this decision was provided for 30 Days, from January 21, 1999 to February 20, 1999.

As a result of public consultation on the proposal, the Ministry received a total of 35347 comments: 35347 comments were received in writing and 0 were received online.

Additionally, a copy of all comments are available for public viewing by contacting the Contact person listed in this notice.

Effect(s) of Consultation on this Decision:



Comments on the proposal were submitted as a result of the government's January 15, 1999 province-wide news release, this notice of proposal on the Environmental Registry, newspaper advertisements, and letters sent to stakeholder groups.


In the decision-making process, the ministry took every reasonable step to ensure that all comments received during the comment period were considered, including those received by postal service on the next business day following the end of the comment period (i.e., Monday, February 22, 1999). This input was reviewed and analyzed with respect to the comments that were made.


The ministry understood that persons would be affected differently by this proposal, and the submissions received in response to the proposal notice confirmed this. Generally, respondents who engage in, or benefit from, hunting or the spring bear hunt (such as hunters, hunt clubs, outfitters, related businesses and municipalities) expressed opposition to the proposal. However, some respondents in each of these groups expressed support for the proposal. In particular, some individual hunters, hunt clubs and organizations, and tourist operators expressed support for the proposal. Of the respondents, about 64 percent opposed the proposal, about 35 percent expressed support for the proposal, and about one percent were unclear on this point. The most common comments were that the bear population is high, and that there is no scientific data to support the proposal.


With respect to the comments that the bear population is high, the ministry agrees with this and noted the size of the bear population in its proposal notice. However, the size of the bear population does not guarantee that female bears with young cubs are not mistakenly shot during a spring bear hunt.


With respect to comments that there is no scientific data to support the proposal, there is scientific data indicating that young cubs orphaned in the spring season experience a high mortality at this time of year. The ministry recognizes there is no scientific data to indicate the proposal is necessary for purposes of sustaining black bear. However, this type of scientific data is not necessary for the proposal because the proposal has not been put forward for this purpose. The ministry also recognizes that there are no statistics with respect to the number of lactating female bears that are killed each year in the spring bear hunt. However, this type of statistical data also is not necessary for the proposal because the proposal has been put forward for the purpose of guaranteeing that female bears with young cubs are not mistakenly shot during a spring bear hunt. In addition, monitoring and enforcement measures, and the use of methods such as hanging baits, would not eliminate but may only, at best, reduce the number of female bears with young cubs that are mistakenly shot during a spring bear hunt. The scope of accepted wildlife management principles is not based solely on scientific data. Rather, the scope of accepted wildlife management principles takes into account, with respect to hunting practices, perceptions of social acceptability and humane hunting practices as they may change from time to time.


Some respondents submitted requests that an individual environmental assessment be conducted under the Environmental Assessment Act prior to a decision being made. On March 4, 1999, prior to the decision being made by the Minister of Natural Resources on this proposal, the Minister of the Environment advised the Minister of Natural Resources of his decision not to require an individual environmental assessment.


In consideration of the comments about the economic impact, and consistent with the government's news release of January 15, 1999, the government is carrying through on its commitment to a financial assistance program for eligible operators, and to exploring ways to diversify and strengthen northern tourism.


Below is the text of the proposal notice as it was first published.


Contact:


The Hon. John Snobelen
Minister of Natural Resources
6th Floor, Whitney Block, 99 Wellesley Street West
Toronto Ontario
M7A 1W3
Phone: (705) 755-1211
Fax: (705) 755-1380

Additional Information:


The documents linked below are provided for information purposes only
All links will open in a new window

1. http://govonca3.gov.on.ca/MBS/english/pu
blications/index.html

2. http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/MNR/fwca/bear.h
tml

Doesn't that make you sick almost. What a joke when you look at it now. And of course the gov always gets their way anyway. At least there is some hope now. Tks for posting all this info bigr.


Cheers