Vision & Mission
The Alberta Trappers Association (ATA) represents over 2200 trappers and a wide variety of corporate members within our province. The Association is the only government recognized association for trapping in Alberta.
The Association provides its membership with a number of programs and services including, acting as a representative with government for regulation and voicing industry concerns.
The Association also provides access to certified education and training, fur shipping and depot services, retail store and supplies, administration of the Trappers Compensation Program and a wide range of other individual and corporate benefits.
Vision
We see an Alberta where the sustainable harvest and management of wild furbearers is an established and recognized conservation activity that is integral to our Heritage, Culture and Identity.
Mission
To ensure that trapping continues in Alberta
as a way of life that promotes respect
for wildlife and stewardship of the land.
Core Values
WE BELIEVE IN:
​
-
Respect: Respecting and supporting sound wildlife management practices that govern wild fur harvesting in Alberta.
-
Family and Community: Preserving traditional, social, cultural, family and personal values with regard to the use of the land and the natural environment, while contributing to society and demonstrating the organization's social responsibility.
-
Integrity: Manifesting the highest standards of honesty, fairness, respect and professional ethics without compromising truth.
-
Accountability: Acknowledging and assuming responsibility for actions, products, decisions and policies.
-
Education: Providing quality education for both the public and the trapping community that enhances their knowledge and understanding about trapping as a valid tool for harvesting and Furbearer Management.
Furbearer Management
We, the trapping community, support the sustainable management of furbearers and habitat in Alberta.
As stewards of this precious resource, we have a responsibility to all Albertans to maintain healthy and robust furbearer populations irrespective of market considerations.
Without trapper’s, nature controls furbearer populations through habitat or climatic change, predation, competition, starvation, stress and disease. This leads to prolonged suffering and the inevitable large scale swings in the population of different species from one year to the next. Responsible and humane management by trappers maintains furbearer populations at healthy sustainable levels. All animals harvested by trappers are as fully utilized as possible with unused portions being returned to the ecosystem for the benefit of all wildlife. All lands and wildlife will be treated with compassion, dignity and respect.
Trappers play a major role in the mitigation of damages and risk to public safety by conflict wildlife. The overwhelming majority of problem wildlife work in Alberta is performed by the trapping community, working as either licensed trappers, government workers or wildlife management professionals.
Damages associated with wildlife conflict in Alberta total in the many millions of dollars and impacts the municipal, agricultural, industrial and public sectors. Without trappers and their knowledge and skill, much of our community infrastructure would be in crisis.
The Alberta Trappers Association offer an extensive training and professional development program to make sure that both registered trappers and their junior partners as well as resident trappers have the core training and knowledge to conduct themselves in a professional and responsible manner operating under an ever evolving framework of Best Management Practices.
Notes
The Alberta Trappers’ Association is a separate entity from
the Humane Trapping Trust Fund (HTTF), and Alberta Trappers’ Compensation Program (ATCP).