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The state environmental protection commissioner Wednesday approved a policy that sets the stage for a black bear hunt in December.

The action comes amid a growing number of complaints of bears threatening houses and killing pets and livestock.

The most recent black bear population estimate for the portion of New Jersey north of I-80 is approximately 3,400 based on a 2009 study by East Stroudsburg University. The bear population in this area has increased to its current level from an estimate of 500 bears in 1992.

Incidents involving black bears exhibiting behavior that is an immediate threat to human safety, or those causing agricultural damage to farmland or property damage over $500, have increased 96 percent from 2006 to 2009, according to the DEP. All nuisance incidents combined have increased by 130 percent during the same time period.

Environmental Protection Commissioner Bob Martin approved the state Fish and Game Council's 2010 Comprehensive Black Bear Management Policy.

Jeff Tittel, director of the Sierra Club of New Jersey, criticized Martin's action, arguing there is no justification for a hunt.

"The commissioner acted in haste and did not complete an adequate review,'' Tittel said. "Martin has not engaged or spoken with organizations that support non-lethal forms of management. The Sierra Club finds it shocking that the DEP moved forward approving rules to hunt bears, at a time when other rules are being bottled up by the Red Tape Commission and executive orders.''

Tittel said, "The bear hunt violates governor Christies own executive orders. The DEP did not consider an economic analysis and this practice exceeds federal standards. More than 28 rules have been frozen by the Christie administration; it is inexplicable that during this 90 day moratorium they have moved forward with the bear hunt rule.''

Martin is supporting legislation that would increase penalties for people who feed black bears and draw the animals into populated areas.

Bears are most prominent in Sussex, Warren, Morris and Passaic counties but they have been sighted statewide.

The Fish and Game Council's approach to managing bears includes research and monitoring, non-lethal and lethal control of problem bears, public education on coexisting with bears, law enforcement to reduce conflicts between bears and people, and a controlled hunt.

Over the past decade, bear education programs have been presented by the DEP to more than 100,000 people, and more than 3 million pieces of bear education literature have been distributed. This year 31 bear education programs and outreach efforts have been conducted with an additional 21 programs scheduled.

DEP conservation officers inspected more than 4,600 residential properties in high bear incident areas and found 98 percent were in compliance with black bear garbage management guidelines. This spring, officers will focus enforcement efforts and education outreach on commercial properties in high bear incident areas.

Tittel said there are other ways the state can manage its bear population and avoid a hunt.

He said one method is protecting bear habitat. " Every year the state loses 8,000-10,000 acres of land in bear country,'' Tittel said. "The more we build houses in the middle of the woods where bears live, the more conflict we will see between bears and humans.''

Tittel said non-lethal methods of dealing with conflicts between bears and humans are another way. "One of the most important programs that has been cut is bear aversion therapy, which trains bears to be afraid of humans and, thus, to avoid them,'' he said.

He said state and local officials could bear-proof public areas. "The state should work with towns and municipalities to put up fencing and take other steps to keep bears out of key areas, such as playgrounds,'' Tittel said.

Tittel said working with farmers is another way. "The state needs to cooperate with the agricultural sector to provide small grants to farmers that allow them to bear-proof their properties and protect them from potential damage,'' he said.

"The black bear is a symbol that we still have wild places in New Jersey and the whole state has not been paved over with subdivisions and strip malls," Tittel said. "As New Jersey continues to suburbanize and more people move into bear country, we should be managing bears and protecting habitat instead of getting rid of the bears. We shouldn't have a hunt just because it may be hard to sell condos in Vernon to people in Brooklyn if there's bears in the area."

In 2005, the state Supreme Court held that the council may authorize a black bear hunt only if a hunt is consistent with a comprehensive black bear management policy developed by the council and approved by the commissioner.

The Fish and Game Council plan will be submitted to the state Office of Administrative Law publication in the April 19 New Jersey Register. Following publication, the public will have 60 days to comment in writing, and will also have the opportunity to comment during a public hearing at 6 p.m., May 11 in the State Museum, 205 W. State St., Trenton.

To review the Fish and Game Council's proposed Black Bear Management policy, click here.

– TOM HESTER SR., NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM