II. Implementation status and issues of policy evaluation based on monitoring results

Adaptive management of wildlife requires a monitoring method that will last for a period sufficient to provide necessary results and that can be applied to regional human communities and animal populations. The aim of this report is to assist in selection of such a monitoring program. We reviewed the implementation status and issues related to monitoring the conservation and management of bears in Japan. We researched the degree of utilization of monitoring results in management policies. We also researched the status of assessment organization of the Specified Wildlife Conservation and Management Plans in each prefecture and the status of regional cooperation among prefectures. Our review showed that various types of monitoring were implemented. However, some monitoring data, especially those employed in the management of economic damage and human injury, were underutilized. Policy evaluation using the results of monitoring was not sufficient. It is necessary to reflect the results of policy evaluation in management in order to frame and implement plans and policies for the next period. Our review also exposed budgetary, systematic, and technical issues related to the collection of monitoring data, which need to be addressed by researchers in order to provide useful monitoring programs, including policy evaluation methods.