Members and Working Groups
Provincial Hunting and Trapping Advisory Team Members
The Team is composed of members from stakeholder organizations whose knowledge, creativity and insight can be engaged in a collaborative, productive, and open-minded process to influence and improve wildlife management practices that affect wildlife-use stakeholders. The Team has the expertise and full range of perspective to offer valuable, balanced, and rational recommendations to government decision makers on matters pertaining to the management of game species for sustainable use.
Participant terms are for three years, with non-government seats not exceeding ten. Organizations much fulfill specific criteria to be eligible for membership, with membership being determined in consultation with current Team members and the Wildlife Manager.
Member Organizations
The B.C. Trappers Association is a non-profit organization with four objectives: (1) To promote sound, humane furbearer fur management through research, education, and cooperation with other related organizations. (2) To represent trappers at the provincial, national, and international levels. (3) To promote the general welfare of the trappers of British Columbia. (4) To promote communication, information, and dialogue among trappers.
The B.C. Wildlife Federation is a province-wide voluntary conservation organization of hunters, anglers, and recreational shooters, representing all British Columbians whose aims are to protect, enhance, and promote the wise use of the environment for the benefit of present and future generations.
BCWF’s strategic objectives are: (1) To ensure the sound, long-term management of British Columbia’s fish, wildlife, park, and outdoor recreational resources in the best interests of all British Columbians, and to coordinate all the voluntary agencies, societies, clubs, and individuals interested in that objective, and (2) To develop and support a comprehensive educational program to make all British Columbians aware of the value of British Columbia’s fish, wildlife, park, and outdoor recreational resources, and to arouse in the public conscience a recognition of, and a respect for, the place of fish, wildlife, and outdoor recreation in the wise integrated use of the nation’s natural resources.
The vision of the Guide Outfitters Association of British Columbia (GOABC) is a province with a strong and stable outfitting industry and abundant wildlife populations for all to enjoy, both today and in the future. As passionate advocates for wildlife, GOABC is the recognized voice of the outfitting family in British Columbia. With integrity and professionalism, we promote the conservation, stewardship, and sustainable use of wildlife. We believe that what we appreciate, appreciates and we advocate for proactive, science-based wildlife management.
Our Four Core Values
- Professionalism – competency in our engagements with membership, the public and government
- Integrity – adherence to moral and ethical principles
- Passion – we eat, sleep, and breathe our livelihood
- Family – family is the heart and soul of outfitting
All GOABC members agree to follow our Code of Conduct and follow best practices to ensure the highest quality wilderness experiences for hunting clients.
If you care about the wild places and wild things as we do, and wish to ensure that hunting will continue for future generations, please join us in putting Wildlife First™.
The Wildlife Stewardship Council (WSC) is a not-for-profit organization with the mission to be a voice and advocate for wildlife and the ecosystems that sustain all life. WSC advocates for the engagement of all First Nations and stakeholders in Wildlife Management to be part of a ’roundtable’ approach to Wildlife Management in British Columbia.
Through WSC, First Nations and guide outfitters have become close partners in creatively addressing conservation and wildlife management issues. WSC uses and promotes the inclusive ’roundtable’ approach to wildlife management and regulation based on our belief that all British Columbians must be committed to quality wildlife management that puts wildlife first.
The WSC operates on the First Nations “Seven Generations Principle” which considers future generations and the impact of our activities on those who are still unborn. This principle applies to all aspects of our organization including, hunting activities, conservation efforts, and policy evaluation and recommendation.
The British Columbia Chapter of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers (BCBHA) is a grassroots volunteer based organization dedicated to the conservation of wilderness throughout the province for the benefit of ecosystems and wildlife, and for the enjoyment of hunters, anglers and other quiet recreationists. Backcountry Hunters & Anglers (BHA) is the voice for our wild public lands, clean waters, and wildlife.
We seek to ensure North America’s outdoor heritage of fair chase hunting and fishing in a natural setting through education and work on behalf of fish, wildlife, and wild places. BHA supports the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation and science-based fish and wildlife management. BHA encourages cooperation between stakeholders and provincial government officials to maintain robust fish and wildlife populations for high-quality outdoor experiences.
BHA represents the challenge, solitude, and adventure that only the backcountry can provide. We work every single day to ensure that anyone from any background has equal access to public lands and waters as well as quality fish and wildlife habitat.
Our membership understands that the continuation of the very things we love – hunting, fishing, wildlife, and wild places – depends upon our ability to move forward together and develop collaborative partnerships committed to the stewardship of our natural resources.
Website Link: https://www.backcountryhunters.org/british_columbia
High Level Discussion Members
The following two organizations will be invited to participate in high-level wildlife management discussions but not specific regulatory discussions, outside of discussions that involve the specific interests of their organizations (e.g. sheep regulation discussions for the Wild Sheep Society of B.C. and archery regulation discussions for the United Bowhunters of B.C.)
The purposes of the Wild Sheep Society are as follows: (a) to promote the cause of wild sheep conservation and preservation, (b) to protect and enhance habitat for wild sheep and associated wildlife, (c) to unite sportsmen with one purpose, the safeguarding of these natural resources for future generations, (d) to support the rights of our members in their endeavors to preserve our environment, and (e) to maintain and promote the right to hunt in a safe and ethical manner and to foster good will, sportsmanship, and fair chase in light of all rules and regulations.
The United Bowhunters of British Columbia (UBBC) is a province-wide bowhunting lobby group that works to represent all bowhunters in all areas of the province.
The UBBC provides the bowhunter with an opportunity to participate as a legitimate stakeholder in hunting opportunity discussions directed by the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations & Rural Development.
Government Members
In addition to member organizations, the following government representatives are included as part of the Team
- British Columbia Conservation Officer Service
- First Nations Liaison
- Chair – Wildlife Manager
- Facilitator
- Secretariat
- Director
- Other Ministry representatives (e.g., Ministry of Environment; Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation)
Non-Affiliated Members
Non-affiliated members can be appointed to PHTAT to provide a complementary set of attributes, experience and perspectives. These members do not advocate for the specific interests of a specific member organization, and fulfill the following three criteria:
- Scientific, academic, practical or traditional knowledge.
- Relevant personal experience with trapping or hunting.
- Ability to problem-solve, work as a Team player and find creative solutions.
The current non-affiliated members are:
Adam Ford, Associate Professor & Canada Research Chair in Wildlife Restoration Ecology, University of British Columbia
Michael Gillingham, Emeritus Professor, University of Northern British Columbia
Working Groups
The Provincial Hunting and Trapping Advisory Team delivers on their mandate through the following Working Groups.
The purpose of the Hunting Practices Sub-committee of the Provincial Hunting and Trapping Advisory Team is to review both traditional and modern hunting practices (methods, tools, and tactics), and evaluate those practices against a set of criteria or tests that reflect the principles of ethical and humane hunting practices. These tests include:
Tests (measures or standards that will be used to evaluate specific tools or methods of hunting):
- Does the hunting method, tool, or tactic:
- Negate wildlife’s ability to avoid detection?
- Negate wildlife’s ability to escape once it has detected a threat?
- Lead to an inhumane treatment of wildlife?
- Lead to increased wounding loss/jeopardize a hunter’s ability to retrieve the wildlife?
- Jeopardize public acceptance of hunting?
- Result in higher harvest rates/reduced opportunity in the future?
- Create an unacceptable risk to wildlife health?
After the evaluation the sub-committee explores options to manage specific hunting practices, and develop recommendations to the Provincial Hunting and Trapping Advisory Team for consideration.
The guiding principles for the Hunting Practices Subcommittee are:
- Regulated hunting is part of British Columbia’s culture, is a valuable tool in the management of wildlife, and provides significant social and economic benefits to the province; the committee endeavours to keep hunting as part of BC’s future.
- The committee speaks on behalf of wildlife.
- Hunting requires patience, skill, hard work, cunning, testing limits of endurance, knowledge, and stealth.
- Hunting methods, tools, and tactics should be reasonably viewed through a lens of fair chase, whereas wildlife has the ability to avoid detection, and if detected has a reasonable ability to escape.
- Hunting regulations can be an effective tool to establish minimum standards for adherence to fair chase principles.
- Any hunting done in contravention of the law is not considered fair chase.
- Hunting methods or tools that do not subscribe to fair chase can jeopardize public acceptance and social licence for hunting.
- Where appropriate (i.e. regulation simplification does not unjustly hinder hunting opportunity), simplification of regulations is preferable,
- Regulations to manage a fair chase issue must not be used in place of mandated wildlife management actions or policy matters that are a responsibility of the Government of BC.
- British Columbia should consider the standards of ethical hunting in place in other jurisdictions of western North America.