Biennial Amendments to Hunting Provisions of the Migratory Birds Regulations, 2022

Key findings from the strategic environmental assessment (SEA) conducted in respect of the amendments to the Migratory Birds Regulations, 2022 (MBR, 2022) for the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 hunting seasons, as published in the Canada Gazette.

The objective of the MBR, 2022 is to conserve and protect migratory birds. For migratory game birds, one aspect of achieving this objective is the collaborative management of hunting. The Government of Canada, through Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), is responsible for the conservation of migratory birds in Canada and the management of the sustainable hunting of these birds.

Populations of migratory game birds fluctuate over time. Therefore, regular amendments to the MBR, 2022 are needed to help ensure a sustainable harvest of migratory game birds.

The purpose of these amendments is to adjust the hunting provisions of the MBR, 2022 (hunting season length, open season dates, daily bag limits and possession limits) for the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 hunting seasons.

The SEA determined that the nature and biodiversity outcomes expected to result from the amendments to the MBR, 2022 will be modest, but positive. The amendments ensure that the MBR, 2022 continues to support healthy and sustainable migratory game bird populations.

The liberalization of American Black Duck harvest (higher daily bag limits and number of days for hunting) in Atlantic provinces, Quebec, and Ontario will create further opportunities for hunters to harvest this abundant resource, potentially resulting in nutritional benefits for households. Similarly, the addition of an eider season in the Western Labrador Zone will slightly increase opportunities for hunters to harvest and consume eiders.

Additionally, the hunting provisions ensure access to abundant migratory game birds by Indigenous people, which promotes the broad objectives of socio-economic development, traditional harvest rights, and protection and promotion of Indigenous cultures.

The number of migratory bird hunters has decreased over time, resulting in a decrease in waterfowl harvest. In addition, most of the harvest takes place early in the hunting season, therefore extending the season later is expected to have limited impact on the number of ducks harvested.

The modest, positive environmental effects of these amendments support targets 5 and 9 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which pertain to ensuring sustainable harvest, management and use of wild species. The amendments also contribute to the 2022-2026 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy Goal 15 “Protect and recover species, conserve Canadian biodiversity” by enabling species population control that will reduce stress from species with population sizes above their acceptable range. The amendments contribute to the United Nations 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 15: Life on Land, by supporting the conservation of biodiversity.

It was determined that these amendments will not produce important effects related to climate change. Any impacts would be indirect and minor.

The hunting regulations for migratory game birds are developed to ensure that harvest is sustainable. The hunting regulations are reviewed and amended biennially by ECCC. The population status of migratory game birds is assessed on an annual basis to ensure that the regulations are appropriate. If necessary, amendments can be made between review periods.

ECCC will continue to monitor the status of migratory game birds every year based on harvest data provided by hunters and on the analysis of long-term population trends. Follow-up reports on the population status of migratory game birds will be published on a biennial basis through the Migratory Birds Regulatory Reports Series. This information will be assessed against population objectives of the North American Waterfowl Management Plan and provide a basis for proposed changes to the open season dates, daily bag limit and possession limit of migratory game bird species.