The licensing season for fishing and hunting for the 2024-25 season began April 1.

Fishing and hunting licences are valid from April 1 to March 31 every year, so Yukoners who fish and hunt will need to renew their licences for 2024-25.

Fishing and hunting licences are available for early sale.

People must have a valid hunting licence for 2024-25 to apply for the Permit Hunt Authorization lottery, which will open April 18, and to apply for the special guide licence lottery that opened April 1.

Here are some updates for the new licensing season:

Mandatory barbless hooks

Nine additional lakes will be restricted to mandatory barbless hooks: Fish Lake, Fox Lake, Kusawa Lake, Lake Laberge, Little Salmon Lake, Louise Lake, Mayo Lake, Nares Lake and Pine Lake.

Michelle Dawson-Beattie, the chair of the Yukon Fish and Wildlife Management Board, said March 27 “the board supports the implementation of mandatory barbless hooks on these nine Yukon lakes.

“This regulation change promotes sustainable, low-impact angling practices on some of the territory’s most accessible bodies of water.”

It was previously recommended that barbless hooks were used at the nine listed lakes. It is now mandatory and enforceable.

The compulsory use of barbless hooks in the nine listed lakes follows recommendations from the fish and wildlife board.

Sheep hunting

Due to conservation concerns, the Kluane First Nation cancelled its auction of the Kluane Wildlife Sanctuary sheep permit for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons.

In the spirit of wildlife co-management, the Department of Environment will not be issuing the 2024-25 lottery for this permit, as in 2023-24.

There are no other changes to sheep hunting in the southwest Yukon at this time.

The Department of Environment is continuing discussions with wildlife co-management partners regarding the conservation of sheep populations in the southwest Yukon.

New e-vendor system for licensing sales

Vendors who sell licences will now have access to a new e-vendor licensing system that kicked in Apr. 2.

The new system enables vendors to sell fishing licences, hunting seals and camping permits, and will be connected directly to a customer’s Environment e-services account so all licences and permits are up to date.

The new e-vendor system will support the protection of personal privacy by moving sales from paper to electronic.

The government has provided training to existing vendors to ensure an effective transition to a new e-vendor system.

“We strive to ensure we balance the protection of the Yukon’s fish and wildlife, habitats and ecosystems with sustainable harvest opportunities and a valuable service to Yukoners,” said Environment Minister Nils Clarke.

“We remain committed to working together with our wildlife co-management partners, including the Yukon Fish and Wildlife Management Board, Yukon First Nations and Renewable Resource Councils to ensure the harvest of fish and wildlife in the Yukon is responsible and sustainable.”