Disgraceful-  NJ Approves Black Bear Hunt

Trenton, NJ – Today the Fish and Game Council approved the State’s Comprehensive Bear Management Policy (CBBMP) and amendments to the Game Code. This means there will be a December bear hunt; the CBBMP will be filed and published in the register on December 19, 2023. Public comment on the CBBMP will be held in mid January.

The Sierra Club, New Jersey chapter testified at the Fish and Game Council. The chapter strongly disagrees with Governor Murphy’s justification for reversing his Executive Order to allow a black bear hunt in New Jersey.

Anjuli Ramos-Busot, New Jersey Director of the Sierra Club, released the following statement:

“The decision by the Fish and Game Council to approve a hunt for December is beyond disappointing. The state has failed to effectively implement a non lethal management plan. Instead the NJDEP focused on a marketing campaign that completely failed. The state needs to go directly to communities with high bear populations, educate them on smart behavior and provide them with the incentives for better management of trash,” said Anjuli Ramos- Busot, New Jersey Director of the Sierra Club. “The public came out even with a 5 day notice and completely opposed this hunt. The Council still voted yes, unanimously, demonstrating that the decision was already made before the meeting even started. Governor Murphy, this is unacceptable.”

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About the Sierra Club: The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person’s right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information about our work in New Jersey, visit www.sierraclub.org/new-jersey.