December 14, 2023
TRENTON REPORT
The NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife has approved the continuation of bear hunts through 2028, despite huge opposition from residents of New Jersey.
The NJ Chapter and other environmental advocates have all asked NJ Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Commissioner Shawn LaTourette to reject the Comprehensive Black Bear Management Policy and have testified against it.
The Sierra Club urged the DEP to move forward with effective non-lethal bear management strategies.
The NJ chapter has previously emphasized that non-lethal management tactics, such as advising people to keep their trash well secured, would help reduce aggressive bear encounters and allow residents to live more peaceably with these denizens of the woods.