On June 22, 2016, the seven-member Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (“FWC”) voted to postpone bear hunting in Florida for 2016. The FWC made its decision in a split 4-3 vote, despite receiving recommendations from its staff and biologists to conduct a bear hunt similar to the one held in 2015.
Nick Wiley, executive director of FWC, stated that:
[a]lthough hunting has been demonstrated to be a valuable tool to control bear populations across the country, it is just one part of FWC’s latest, comprehensive bear management program.”
Last year, a total of 304 bears were killed in a two-day span, which caused an abrupt end to the planned week-long hunt in October.