Wildlife
Reserves

Sustainable development

In wildlife reserves, hunters and fishermen have always applied the concept of sustainable development. Restrictions on using wildlife requires that the captures of hunters and fishermen be accurately recorded to ensure that harvests are within the limits permitted by law. In the case of fishing, once the harvest quota for a given lake is reached, the lake is closed, even in mid-season. Fishing harvest quotas are adjusted annually, whereas hunting quotas for large game depends on the recorded harvest data. The accuracy of the data and the cooperation of hunters and fishermen in the recording of their harvests are fundamental to ensuring the true sustainable development of wildlife in wildlife reserves and its persistence for future generations.

In other regards, wildlife reserves promote:

• restricted access to the hunting of large game and strict monitoring of the use of wildlife.

• the granting of priority access to wildlife to Quebecers.

• the random drawing of hunting privileges, when demand exceeds supply, so as to ensure equitable access.

• wildlife and habitat research and management.

• a large number of activities intended specifically for the next generation of hunters and fishermen.

• Sépaq's enormous efforts to better integrate wildlife-forest-recreational activities.

• the reinvestment of all proceeds in the consolidation and development of the above-mentioned activities.

• the involvement of the regional community.

Regional involvement and partnership

• The regional community helps manage and promote wildlife reserves.

• Most wildlife reserves have concluded partnership agreements with local private companies regarding the activities and services offered on-site.

Quotas

Resource restrictions

In wildlife reserves, the use of wildlife is generally restricted to ensure sustainability, i.e. quotas are set per species according to the population development and wildlife production potential of the habitats, as well as past capture data. These quotas are established annually by the Ministère de l'Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs (MELCCFP), which oversees wildlife management in Québec. Therefore, the Sépaq offers hunting and fishing activities in the wildlife reserves according to the quotas set by the MELCCFP.