Thank you. I'll start, and then I'll ask to -- you to turn to the deputy minister.

When I first became the Minister of ENR, the first thing I said to the department, I do not want to be the Minister responsible for no caribou in the Northwest Territories. I made that very clear. As we are all aware, the Bathurst caribou herd is facing a serious conservation concern and is currently at record low numbers. The latest population survey, just this June 2021, resulted in the population estimate of 6,240 caribou, down from 470,000 in 1986. I repeat: Down to 6,240 caribou.

The GNWT has worked closely with its co-management partners, including the Tlicho government, to put a range management plan action in place to support the recovery of the herd. A key action to support the herd is the mobile core -- mobile zone that the member's talked about, which is used to implement a complete harvest closure put in place by the Wek'eezhii Renewable Resources Board. That board there is a -- we work with them, the Tlicho government, we work with those guys to come up with this zone.

The zone was developed and is implemented, again, collaboratively with the Tlicho government, ENR, and the Wek'eezhii Renewable Resources Board. If the mobile zone was reduced at this time, it would put collaborative conservation actions for the herd at risk. At risk. We only have 6,240 caribou in that herd. So further detail, I'll turn to the deputy minister. Thank you, Mr. Chair, with your permission.