Trappers Feeling Effects of Higher Dollar

Trappers Feeling Effects of Higher Dollar

Tuesday, January 13, 2004 at 14:32

The rise of the Canadian dollar is hurting trappers.

The continent’s largest fur marketer, North American Fur Auctions, held its first sale of the new season over the weekend.

And while prices were strong for most varieties of fur, spokesman Dave Bewick says trappers are getting as much as 17 per cent less for their pelts compared to this time last year because of the rate of exchange.

Bewick explains that the people who buy fur purchase it in American dollars, and when the prices are converted to Canadian dollars, trappers end up seeing less money for their pelts.

Having said that, Bewick says demand for most pelts was strong, aside from muskrat and red fox.

Bewick also says the rise in the price of beaver pelts from last year is enough to offset the change in the exchange rate for that item.