041910a

NJ DEPARTMENT of ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Natural and Historic Resources
Division of Fish and Wildlife
Fish and Game Council

Notice of Rule Proposal
2009-2012 Game Code
2010 New Jersey Comprehensive Black Bear Management Policy
Proposed Amendment: N.J.A.C. 7:25-5.6

Public Notice
The Department of Environmental Protection (Department) and the New Jersey Fish and Game Council (Council) are seeking public comment on the proposed New Jersey Comprehensive Black Bear Management Policy (CBBMP), which has been developed by the Council and approved by the Commissioner of Environmental Protection in accordance with N.J.S.A. 13:1B-28.  The Comprehensive Black Bear Management Policy is a compilation of the Council’s black bear preservation and management goals, the various means by which the preservation and management goals may be accomplished, and the factors to be considered in determining which means should be implemented to achieve those goals.  The CBBMP includes several integrated tools to accomplish these goals, such as research and monitoring, non-lethal and lethal control of problem bears, public education on coexisting with bears, law enforcement to reduce human-bear conflicts, and a controlled hunt. Once adopted, the CBBMP will be codified as the Appendix to N.J.A.C. 7:25-5.6. A PDF version of the CBBMP and supporting documents are available on the Division of Fish and Wildlife’s website at http://www.state.nj.us/dep/fgw/(see “What’s New”).

The proposal is scheduled to be published in the New Jersey Register dated April 19, 2010. A copy of the proposal is available from: Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) website (PDF); LexisNexis Customer Service at (800) 223-1944 or www.lexisnexis.com/bookstore. Be advised that there may be a fee for obtaining a copy of the proposal from some sources.

A public hearing concerning the proposal is scheduled as follows:

Tuesday, May 11, 2010 at 6:00 P.M.
New Jersey State Museum
205 West State Street
Trenton, NJ  08625

Written comments may be submitted by June 18, 2010 to:

Larry Herrighty
CBBMP
Division of Fish and Wildlife
Department of Environmental Protection
P.O. Box 400
Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0400