Following completion of the New York State Fisher Management Plan, regulations were adopted to:

• Reduce the fisher (and marten) trapping season from 46 days to 30 days in select Adirondack Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) in the Northern Zone (yellow area on the map).
• Establish a 6-day fisher trapping season in selected WMUs in Central/Western New York (blue area on the map).
• Require a free special permit for all fisher trapping. The special permit will enable DEC to collect important data for managing fisher harvests.

Permit conditions:

• To trap fisher anywhere in the state or marten in Adirondack WMUs, obtain a Special Free Fisher Permit or combination Fisher/Marten Permit (yellow area on map) from DEC regional Bureau of Wildlife offices as outlined in the table below.
• Submit the skull or lower jaw of all harvested fishers and the entire carcass of all harvested martens at the time of pelt sealing.
• Complete and submit a trapping activity log, even if you did not trap, within 10 days after the close of the season.

To Obtain a Free Fisher or Fisher/Marten Permit:

Only one fisher or fisher/marten permit is needed to trap these species anywhere in New York where the season is open.

Contact your regional wildlife office (see table below), or apply by e-mail. You must provide the following information:

• Name
• Species (fisher or fisher/marten)
• Mailing address
• DEC ID # (from your trapping license or backtag)
• Phone number and/or e-mail address

Apply by e-mail to: wildlife@dec.ny.gov, type “Fisher/Marten Permit” in the subject line. Please be sure to include the information listed above and the primary county where you plan to trap.