Whereas moose populations are in decline across the province and measures should be taken to increase populations, not to decrease them; And whereas the increase in the cowcalf moose Limited Entry Hunt LEH announced by the Province in the Limited Entry Synopsis 2019-2020 in Regions 4 and 7, will put unnecessary pressure on already shrinking moose populations: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM lobby the provincial government to stop the cowcalf moose Limited Entry Hunt until moose populations recover; And be it further resolved that the provincial government be encouraged to undertake extensive monitoring of moose populations in all regions of the province, in order to better determine their populations and measure their recoveries.
Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development Government is committed to the sustainable management of moose populations. In most areas of the province, the population objectives for moose are to increase populations or ensure declines are stabilized. In some areas of the province, moose are managed at lower levels than the habitat can sustain to prioritize objectives for species at risk recovery, specifically caribou. Management decisions are guided by the Provincial Moose Management Framework, the strategy to restore moose populations in British Columbia and collaboration with First Nations and stakeholders. Ministry staff monitor moose populations, including the response to management actions, to reduce natural and human caused mortality and ensure population objectives are achieved. LEH permits for cow and calf moose were increased in 20192020 in Regions 4 and 7 to benefit caribou recovery. Wolf populations are also being actively controlled for caribou recovery. Moose populations in these areas are thought to have increased over the last 30-40 years as a result of industrial logging and exceed the population objective; therefore, antlerless moose harvest opportunities were allocated to resident hunters in fall 2018 and 2019. Early monitoring of these management actions for both moose and wolves indicates that caribou populations are benefiting. The Provincial Moose Research Program and the Provincial Caribou Recovery Program will continue to work closely and inform management decisions for both values.