B.C. releases plan to control grey wolves to ire of Conservation groups

VANCOUVER – The B.C. government describes its long-awaited wolf management plan as conservative, but it’s still drawing criticism from conservation groups.

The plan aimed at controlling the provincial grey wolf population was released today after a massive review of 2,500 submissions of public input since a first draft a year and a half ago.

A Forest Ministry official says staff carefully reviewed the input but did not dramatically change the plan as laid out in November 2012, which establishes rules for hunting and trapping.

Tom Ethier (EE’-the-er) says the government wants to help livestock owners facing predator problems while ensuring the wolf population is protected.

But at least two conservation groups argue the policies are too liberal and the science used by the government isn’t sound.

Paul Paquet, a senior scientist with Raincoast Conservation Foundation, says the formalized strategy aimed at protecting cattle hasn’t worked in the past and only serves to kill more wolves.