Tourism operators are happy to see the province working to standardize rules and guidelines for bear-watching.
Kathy MacRae is with the Commercial Bear Viewing Association of BC. She says the draft strategy being circulated by the province is in line with what most companies are already doing voluntarily, and aligns with their best practices.
She says association members make sure they are “being respectful, keeping distance and understanding bear behaviour, biology, the ecology, the escalations, because it is all about the bear.”
Avoiding disturbing the bears and protecting their environment makes sure there’s something for tourists to see next season, she says.
MacRae says one thing companies have been doing voluntarily is contributing funds to bear conservation through licence fees. She says they have already raised $200,000 for conservation since fees were implemented in 2018.
She adds that since the grizzly trophy hunt was ended, interest in bear watching has grown steadily, prompting the need for a province-wide set of guidelines.
Companies have until August 18 to comment on the draft.
