The Board approved 238 bear permits, 12 more than the 226 available in 2004.

"All of the increase is in the northeastern region where we have had a huge increase in the amount of nuisance problems," said Kevin Bunnell, mammals coordinator for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.

Bunnell reports that there were a total of 157 bears known to be killed in Utah in 2004, 107 of them by hunters (a 24 percent increase) and 50 for being nuisance animals or other human conflicts, including being hit by cars (a 67 percent increase).

Bunnell said current data shows Utah's bear population is stable and possibly slightly increasing.

Also Tuesday, the Wildlife Board approved the state's first River Otter Management Plan and the reintroduction of up to 30 animals in the Escalante River of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in southern Utah.

"There has been a lot of interest across the state in otters," Bunnell said. "Some of the Regional Advisory Councils are bantering amongst themselves to see who gets the next introduction."

The plan includes releasing up to 10 animals a year for the next three years on the Escalante. After that, Bunnell and other biologists will consider other options for reintroduction.

bpretty@sltrib.com