S.B. council hunts for proper organization
Assembly bill could change formation of N.J. Fish and Game Council
BY CHRIS MURINO Staff Writer

SOUTH BRUNSWICK - A controversial Assembly bill that would change the makeup of the New Jersey Fish and Game Council has both sides dubbing the argument "The Battle of Monmouth." Hopefully this fight won't be as bloody.

Assembly Bill 3275 would give less control of the council to sportsmen and would encourage nonlethal means of animal control and ecotourism opportunities. The bill also gets rid of the council's objective to develop fish and game for public recreation and food supply.

Currently, the New Jersey State Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs selects six of the 11 members of the council, with three farmers also included. The bill would change it to seven total members, two of which would be farmers. The governor, not the sportsmen's club, would appoint all members.

Jim Lear, president of the Mercer County chapter of the New Jersey State Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs, does not know why the change is needed.

"I see no reason to change something that's worked," Lear said. "The bill is trying to do away with fishing and hunting in New Jersey. The governor is definitely anti-hunting."

Stuart Chaifetz, director of the Animal Protection Political Action Committee, disagrees about the success of the council.

"It's been one disaster after the other," he said.

Chaifetz also counters Lear's argument that the bill is trying to eradicate hunting.

"It's not to ban hunting; that's not the point," Chaifetz said, challenging people to read the legislation. "Where does it say that?"

Lear thinks the appointees should not be chosen by the governor.

"You'll appoint people who don't need a background in the biology field," Lear said. "It will just be seven political appointees."

But Chaifetz does not think the sportsmen should be representing most or all of the council because then the common people, who do not hunt, are not allowed to air their views.

"They had to start pumping in $4 million a year of state taxpayer money," Chaifetz said. "This was used to support recreational hunting. It's taxation without representation."

A key issue for both sides was the 2005 bear hunt. The New Jersey Appellate Court ruled that the hunt should not have taken place because the council did not follow correct procedures.

"The council didn't care about the law," Chaifetz said. "They just went ahead without considering what was supposed to be done. If this had happened to any other state body, people would be fired and there'd be some sort of changes."

Lear said the situation was pure politics.

"We did a comprehensive bear study," Lear said. "It took almost two years to complete. It said hunting was a viable alternative to it but the governor just threw it out."

The New Jersey Fish and Game Council comes up with rules, seasons and regulations for hunting and fishing, according to the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). They also pick nominees to head the Division of Fish and Wildlife, part of the DEP.

Both sides have staged rallies recently to try to gain support for their causes. Animal Protection Political Action Committee had a rally in Freehold on Oct. 27 that had a memorial for the bears killed in the 2005 hunt.

Hunting advocates had their own rally on Oct. 28 at the Clarksburg Inn in Millstone Township.