It became necessary to place martens and other furbearers under strict regulation to allow populations to recover. Even so, this was not always sufficient, and restocking programs had to be initiated. Many of these have been successful, and trapping on a limited basis has begun again in some formerly depleted areas. This does not mean that martens are now extremely abundant, but more likely that as forests have become increasingly accessible because of more roads and improved bush vehicles, marten are now regularly trapped in areas that were previously harder to reach. Efforts have been made to raise martens on fur farms, as has been done successfully for foxes, mink, lynx, and a few other species.
Martens are difficult to raise and so far little success has been achieved.
Management of this species is especially difficult because there is no easy and inexpensive way to census a marten population. Experience has shown that if sufficient breeding stock exists in areas where there is no trapping, dispersal of martens into surrounding areas where trapping does occur may help trapped populations rebuild, if trapping pressure is reduced. However, if there is easy access to a tract of land, such as that provided by forest access roads, then overtrapping can occur and a population can be rebuilt only if trapping is curtailed entirely for several years. A registered trapline system, such as in Ontario, provides a biologist with some opportunity to control trapping pressure. Because logging has been a factor in marten declines in the past, it is urgent that land managers recognize the need for multiple use of forested areas.