Moose co-management a priority at Anishinabek Nation Mooz Maawanjiding—Moose Symposium

By Laura Barrios

KETEGAUNSEEBEE (GARDEN RIVER FIRST NATION)— The Anishinabek Nation hosted its Mooz Maawanjiding – Moose Symposium in Ketegaunseebee from September 4 to 5, to create connections amongst mooz (moose) advocates and reconnect participants to their relationship with the mooz to better understand their health concerns, and explore management practices and research methods.

While Day 1 set the foundational knowledge for symposium participants, exploring the Anishinabek and mooz relationship, and mooz health and research, Day 2 focussed on mooz management, harvesting and planning, and the next steps forward on how to best support First Nations as they continue to care for mooz.

A common theme woven throughout the symposium and more heavily emphasized on Day 2 was the concern surrounding mooz management.

“There were over 200 studies that were looked at and analyzed to see what the common themes were and what the findings cite. And it was very easy to see that the three main ones include deforestation—loss of habitat, clear-cutting—all of these different forestry operations impacting not just moose, but all ecosystems and life cycles right down to microorganisms. Number two was overdistribution of tags—over-selling more hunting tags than what the population can support driven by capitalism… And the third one is climate change,” noted Mike Diabo of Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg during his panel on Traditional Knowledge and Governance for the Protection of Moose Populations in and Around La Verendrye Park, Quebec. “I think that having that information demonstrating these trends across a vast number of regions is powerful…. For families that depend on that for survival, it breeds food insecurity and all of the health impacts that come with that.”

“Cows and calves are the future of moose population that our Anishinaabe families rely on for sustenance and cultural continuity; I personally don’t think that it’s right that the government gives out more cow and calf tags than bull tags,” expressed participant Aaron Jones, Garden River First Nation citizen, Fish and Wildlife Coordinator for Lands and Resources Department in his community, and harvester surrounding overdistribution of hunting tags.

“We’re confronted with a number of different issues within the treaty territory, we have clear-cutting that we have to deal with. There’s no place for the moose to go,” expressed another participant on the impact of clear-cutting.

Other considerations for the mismanagement of mooz are more deeply rooted, namely external settler governing bodies creating policies and regulations that do not align with traditional knowledge and practices, and those same governing bodies authorizing non-Treaty rights holders to hunt within First Nation territories.

Anishinabek Nation Lake Huron Regional Chief Scott McLeod points to provincial policies having opened the door for Métis rights and assertions throughout Ontario.

“There’s no archaeological evidence, no oral evidence in our histories in our communities of there being Métis communities, and yet, you give them rights to harvest our moose in our territories without any interference,” expressed Lake Huron Regional Chief McLeod during a presentation on Ontario Moose Management Policy.

He added that the provincial government does not recognize the inherent First Nation jurisdiction, particularly with regards to harvesting rights.

“So, one of the things that we’ve noticed in your policies is that on one hand, you recognize the jurisdiction of First Nations by having to require a Shipment Letter. If somebody from the (Northern) Superior Region came to hunt in my territory, you say, ‘You must have a Shipment Letter that says that the Chief in that area gave you permission to be there’. So, you recognize our jurisdiction—you’re saying that they require that letter, that permission letter, to hunt in our territory. But on the other hand, you simply allow Métis to hunt anywhere in Ontario under the guise that they’re Métis, whether they’ve proven that or not. We maintain that there are no Métis in Ontario; that there’s mixed ancestry, yes, but it’s up to the First Nations to claim those people as theirs, not to create another nation under provincial and federal legislation.”

Despite being from various First Nations across Turtle Island, there are parallels in mooz management grounded by respect towards mooz and recognizing the benefits of marrying the traditional knowledge passed on since time immemorial and Western science.

“I do my work in a way that I incorporate my traditional knowledge of growing up as a Mi’kmaq person in our territory – hunting, fishing, hearing the stories from our Elders, stories being passed down from generation to generation,” explained Clifford Paul, Moose Management Coordinator at the Unama’ki Institute of Natural Resources, as he explored the Two-Eyed Seeing Approach described as dancing in two worlds, carrying two sets of knowledge, two ways of determining the world. “You have your traditional stories, traditional knowledge, but also…I have my…highschool diploma, university degree, my training…I have my Western education. I combine traditional knowledge with the modern Western scientific knowledge, and I take these and weave that fabric into what a traditional moose management plan should look like where our Elders, community members, harvesters provide input and they help build it.”

When exploring the next steps forward on how to best support First Nations as they continue to care for mooz, suggestions came forward that incorporate both sets of knowledge.

“We can support our communities with Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping, which captures, stores, manipulates, and organizes spatial data into maps, stories—however you’d like to make your vision come to life—it brings all of this data together from all of these areas into one space,” stated Rhonda Gagnon, Anishinabek Nation Lands and Resources Manager, during her Using GIS for Mapping and Monitoring Moose presentation.

“These challenges require our collective attention. We need Western science, but we need our culture to create the blend and balance. As we move forward, we need to have co-management… Government isn’t going anywhere, we’re not going anywhere, so we have to work together and get past our differences. This marries the First Nation stewardship with the conservation,” expressed a symposium participant.

“It’s up to us to make sure that the non-Indigenous hunters are also following the law so that we’re not fighting for space that’s ours to ensure our harvest is successful,” added another participant. “Contact the MNR (Ministry of Natural Resources) if there are people encroaching on our territory.”

Day 2 of the Mooz Maawanjiding—Moose Symposium included the Moose Harvest Activities within Anishinabek First Nations Panel, featuring Adam Christensen of Red Rock Indian Band; Dale Benoit Zohr of Algonquins of Pikwàkanagàn; and Saul Bomberry with United Chiefs and Councils of Mnidoo Mnising. The MNR also shared its insight on topics including Ontario Moose Management Policy, an Overview of Moose Aerial Inventory Surveys, and Factors in Developing Moose Harvest and Tag Quotas.