The State of Circumpolar Walrus Populations

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Table 4. Summary of primary walrus management and conservation practices for each range state.
Country Subspecies Hunt management Habitat Protection
Canada Atlantic Populations were over-exploited historically.
Regulations established in 1928 restricted
harvests to Aboriginal hunters, ending
commercial hunting by whalers and traders.
More explicit regulations in 1931 forbade
export of hides and uncarved tusks and
limited Aboriginal catch to seven walruses
per family.
In 1980, Walrus Protection Regulations were
enacted under the Fisheries Act - only “an
Indian or Inuk” was allowed to “hunt and kill
walruses without a licence”, each individual
limited to a maximum of four walruses per
year except where annual community quotas
were scheduled. In 1993, these regulations
were consolidated with those for other
marine mammals in the Marine Mammal
Regulations of the Fisheries Act.
Walrus habitat is protected under sections 34-37 of
the Fisheries Act (under the Act, “fish” are broadly
defined to include walrus and other marine
mammals).
Existing Federally-managed lands (e.g., National
Parks, National Wildlife Areas) offer temporary
protection to small numbers of walruses. Inuit have
the right to hunt in National Parks and other
conservation areas in Nunavut and Nunatsiavut.
In Nunavut, the North Baffin Regional Land Use
Plan and Keewatin Regional Land Use Plan
mention protection of walrus haulouts but the level
of protection is vague. A Nunavut-wide land use
plan is currently being drafted.
Hunts in Nunavut and Nunavik are comanaged
by regional wildlife management