Inuit object to government ban on sales of valuable narwhal tusks:inuit are objecting to a federal decision to ban foreign sales of narwhal tusks for a long list of Nunavut communities.
They say the decision to ban the export of the tusks, worth hundreds of dollars to hunters who have few other options to earn some cash, was made without consulting them.
"We want the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to explain themselves," said Gabriel Nirlungayuk of Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated, the Inuit land claims group.
"They have not consulted Inuit."
Nirlungayuk said NTI learned a few days ago of the ruling, which said export permits will no longer be granted for narwhal tusks from 17 Nunavut communities. The ruling was made under the international Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.
Narwhal are considered a species of special concern under Canadian regulations, even though Environment Canada estimates there are about 45,000 of the sea-going mammals in the Baffin Bay population alone.
Little is known about the habits and life of the narwhal, a medium-sized whale that can grow to more than five metres in length. They are sometimes known as the "unicorn of the sea" because of their lengthy tusk.
They have long been hunted by the Inuit, who value them for food. The skin, or maqtaq, is considered a delicacy and combines a chewy consistency with a delicate flavour.
The tusks are valued in their own right and as a source of ivory for carvers.A tusk in good condition can fetch a lucky hunter up to $450 a metre.
"It's a little income that hunters are able to enjoy to help with the high cost of living up here," Nirlungayuk said.
Nirlungayak said Inuit take about 500 of the animals a year, adding that the ban on foreign sales won't stop hunting.
"They still will hunt the whales for food."
Export permits will still be issued for the five communities not on the list.
Nirlungayak said the federal move violates the Nunavut Land Claim, which requires federal officials to consult with Inuit before taking any such action.
"They breached their agreement," he said.
Officials from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans who made the ruling were not available for comment Wednesday.
Content Provided By Canadian Press.
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