Description

Session 6: COUNTRY MANAGEMENT AND HARVEST REPORTS  
SUMMARY

6.1 Polar Bear Conservation and Management in Canada: Overview of key activities (2023– 2025)  

Caroline Ladanowski and Ernest Cooper

This presentation provides an overview of Canada’s polar bear conservation and management framework for 2023–2025. Internationally, polar bears are listed on CITES Appendix II and were assessed by the IUCN as Vulnerable, while nationally, they are assessed as a species of Special Concern under Canada’s Species at Risk Act. Climate change–driven sea-ice loss is identified as the primary threat, with other pressures such as hunting, pollution, and tourism considered secondary or negligible.

Central to Canada’s management system is co-management, in which Indigenous rights holders and governments jointly make decisions. Wildlife Management Boards and Advisory Councils created under land claim agreements ensure that Indigenous knowledge, harvesting rights, and conservation science are equally represented. Key forums such as the Polar Bear Administrative Committee and Polar Bear Technical Committee provide coordination across regions and subpopulations. Recent national milestones include an updated standing non-detriment finding report (in 2024) and public consultation of a draft National Polar Bear Management Plan in 2025.

Subpopulation status is tracked through both scientific assessments and Indigenous knowledge, revealing variation across subpopulations, with some increasing, some stable, and others declining or uncertain. Harvest management remains primarily the responsibility of the provinces and territories, with Indigenous-led subsistence and guided hunts providing cultural and economic benefits. International trade is strictly regulated through CITES, with permits issued only when a non-detriment finding confirms sustainability. Enforcement measures such as microchip tagging and genetic tracking provide additional safeguards. Incidents of illegal hunting or trade are rare.

The presentation concludes by emphasizing Canada’s collaborative and inclusive approach, which integrates Indigenous knowledge, science, and government oversight to ensure sustainable polar bear conservation. Strong co-management system, innovative enforcement tools, and the development of a national management plan reflect Canada’s commitment to adaptive, long-term stewardship in the face of climate-driven challenges.