Sustainable Livelihoods in Canada's Arctic
The Canadian management system for polar bear was first put in place in the 1960s in recognition of the Indigenous right to harvest wildlife, and to ensure that populations of polar bear across the Canadian Arctric remained viable.
In a region where the cost of living is extremely high and economic prospects are scarce, polar bear hunting is a source of nutritious food and an opportunity to generate income and undertake traditional cultural practices.