The potential impacts of changes in bear hunting policy for hunting organisations in Croatia

摘要: The brown bear (Ursus arctos) in Croatia is currently being managed through trophy hunting, with quotas allocated to local hunting organisations. Human–bear conflict present at a low level, but any losses are compensated by the organisations that benefit from hunting. Attitudes towards bears generally positive, and population appears stable, or even increasing. Croatia's current policy relies upon both ecological sustainability of economic To address first these pillars policy, we used two-sex matrix model investigate biological levels. suggests if annual quota were fully realised, would suffer considerable decrease over 10 years. A likely explanation for mismatch between this result observed stability size underestimated. second pillar, quantified structure, costs benefits an interview survey managers. We found substantial component organisations' income, supporting other activities organisation. recent accession EU will require changes their management system, potentially stopping Therefore, assessed budgets absence Our results demonstrate loss income Moving compensation mechanisms responsibility more centralised system without as suggested legislation, lead uncertainties. These include how make decisions on targets offtake levels control, given uncertainty around estimates, payments which heavily relationships informal monetary non-monetary compensation.