It has been a busy few months, and I’d like to thank all those who helped make the events a success and all those who came out to support the YFGA as we continue to work with our partners to keep the Yukon the best place in the world to live and enjoy the outdoors.
In April we had our annual AGM and have a fantastic board that is looking forward to the upcoming year, we have some new faces this year and look forward to the new ideas and energy they will bring to the board. We also have some long-term members to help bring the historical piece the Fish and Game Association has relied on for 78 years.
It will be another busy few months as we roll into summer with Bird and Bat building at the CGC, this event is always a great time for the kids and volunteers alike. Quickly behind that we have the annual salmon fry release at Wolf Creek campground followed again by the Tatchun family fishing days. As always, the YFGA is busy, and I hope you were able to attend some of the events that will have passed by the time you read this.
The YFGA president, vice president and the executive director met with the minister of environment and his team recently on our bi-annual get together. We were pleased to hear that there have been a lot of surveys and that YG has been able to catch up on the data that needs to be part of the process, flying around counting animals is a small part of the information needed to make informed and timely decisions. We would like to see this information within months from the aerial survey and not the following year. We were hoping to see more opportunities from YG on hunting opportunities for licenced hunters and does not seem to be the way for the 2023/24 hunting season.
On May 1st, the Canadian government made a statement that they would be looking at Bill C-21 again and intend to get this done in short order. I can’t count the number of times Canadians have ben told “we are going to make sure we get this right” then with no consultation work on changes and comments about how quick this needs to happen. Over the past two years violent crimes have risen, clearly targeting law abiding citizens does not reduce crime as we are not criminals. The YFGA will continue to push the federal and territorial governments to ensure the voice of the Yukon is heard and our hunting rifles remain off such lists so we can continue to provide food to our families as we have done since before the inception of firearms.
In the works is a bison management plan, several YFGA directors and members attended public sessions in communities across the bison range for an update from YG and the YFWMB on the current state of bison and some ideas on what to do going forward. We hope that the input from attendees makes it into the plan. The bison populations are great, and we are very happy this reintroduction continues to be used across the continent as an example of government and NGO’s working together to help populations thrive. Head to yukon.ca/engagements to see what’s in the plan.
This summer when you are out fishing and planning your fall hunting trips remember; hunt and fish with your kids; not for them.
