EDMONTON — An Alberta hunters and fishers group says a provincial deal on Metis hunting rights could lead to wildlife being overharvested.
The deal, quietly released earlier this month, gives registered Metis the ability to hunt and fish year-round throughout northern and central Alberta.
Brian Dingreville of the Alberta Fish and Game Association says it could create too much pressure on those resources.
The agreement does contain provisions for monitoring and managing how many animals are taken.
But Dingreville questions the province’s capacity for such work, as well as its ability to enforce rules over such a wide landscape.
The agreement was reached to bring the province in line with a 2003 Supreme Court decision.
Manitoba and Ontario have reached similar deals with their Metis populations.
