ACMCs – English

Inuinnaqtun – ᐃᓄᒃᑎᑐᑦ

Area Co-Management Committees for National Wildlife Areas and Migratory Bird Sanctuaries in Nunavut

What is an Area Co-Management Committee (ACMC)?

  • ACMCs are advisory committees responsible for the day-to-day management of the conservation areas.
  • ACMCs make sure that conservation areas in Nunavut are well managed.
  • ACMC members are appointed by the Regional Inuit Association and the Canadian Wildlife Service, and are from the local community(ies).
  • The ACMC will advise the Canadian Wildlife Service, review permits, develop a management plan and provide a two-way link to the communities.

What are conservation areas?

  • There are two types of conservation areas established by the Canadian Wildlife Service to conserve wildlife and wildlife habitat, the National Wildlife Areas (NWAs) and the Migratory Bird Sanctuaries (MBSs).
  • There are 5 National Wildlife Areas in Nunavut protecting all wildlife and their habitat.
  • There are 11 Migratory Bird Sanctuaries in Nunavut protecting migratory birds and their habitat.
  • An Inuit Impact and Benefit Agreement (IIBA) applies to those Canadian Wildlife Service’s Protected Areas located within the Nunavut Settlement Area (NSA).

What is the Inuit Impact Benefit Agreement (IIBA)?

  • An IIBA is a formal agreement between the Inuit of the Nunavut Settlement Area and her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada (the Government of Canada).
  • Canadian Wildlife Service, Nunavut Tunngavik Inc. (NTI) and the three Regional Inuit Associations (Kitikmeot, Kivalliq and Qikiqtani) were the main negotiators of the IIBA for National Wildlife Areas and Migratory Bird Sanctuaries in the Nunavut Settlement Area, and they are responsible for implementing it.
  • The IIBA is based on respect of the Inuit context, and cooperation between government and Inuit.
  • The IIBA fulfills the federal government’s obligation to ensure that Inuit:
    • benefit from the presence and operation of Migratory Bird Sanctuaries and National Wildlife Areas in Nunavut.
    • have a say in how these conservation Areas are managed, and what happens in them.

What means co-management?

  • The IIBA proposes a co-management structure that is respectful of the Nunavut Agreement and the Inuit context in Nunavut.
  • Co-management both parties, government and communities, respect each other and have a say in decisions.
  • The Nunavut Agreement and the IIBA give Inuit the right to participate in decision-making.

The Area Co-Management Committee is an advisory committee that is responsible for the day-to-day management of the conservation area.

There are 9 ACMCs that co-manage 13 conservation areas in Nunavut:

Protected AreaAssociated CommunitiesArea Co-Management Committees
Akpait National Wildlife Area and
Qaqulluit National Wildlife Area		QikiqtarjuaqSululiit
Bylot Island Migratory Bird SanctuaryPond InletAsungasungaat
Dewey Soper (Isulijaqniq) Migratory Bird SanctuaryKinngaitIsulijaqniq
Qaqsauqtuuq Migratory Bird Sanctuary and
Ikkattuaq Migratory Bird Sanctuary		Coral HarbourIrniurviit
Ninginganiq National Wildlife AreaClyde RiverNinginganiq
Kuugaarjuk Migratory Bird SanctuaryArviatNivvialik
Nirjutiqarvik National Wildlife AreaGrise FiordNirjutiqarvik
Nanuit Itillinga National Wildlife Area,
Siqiniq Migratory Bird Sanctuary and
Nauyavaat Migratory Bird Sanctuary		ResoluteSulukvaut
Ahiak Migratory Bird SanctuaryCambridge Bay, Gjoa Haven, OmingmaktokAhiak