Subsistence harvest is an exclusive right of Aboriginal peoples within the range states through the 1973 Agreement on the Conservation of Polar Bears. Hunting in the Arctic is not a hobby or a luxury; for many Inuit and First Nations people it is a necessity. Inuit have relied on species like caribou, ringed seal, and polar bear as sources of sustenance for millennia. Even in today’s revenue-based economy, people still depend on hunting as an essential, relatively low-cost alternative to store-bought items, and a much-needed source of nutrition and revenue. The income generated from selling a polar bear hide is often reinvested into hunting equipment and supplies, such as gas, snowmobile repairs, and a host of other necessities that enable Inuit to continue subsistence hunting.
