Madrid approves the new law regulating hunting and fishing

The Community of Madrid has published in the Official State Gazette the Law 4/2026, of July 2, on Hunting and Fishing of the Community of Madrid, a regulation that for the first time comprehensively regulates hunting activities and inland fishing in the region. The law, approved by the Assembly of Madrid and promulgated by the President of the Community of Madrid, appears in issue 213 of the BOE, dated August 29, 2026, in section I of general provisions, page 117162, with reference BOE-A-2026-18282.

The regulation replaces a regulatory framework that had been in force for decades: Law 1/1970, of April 4, on hunting, and the Law of February 20, 1942, on the promotion and conservation of river fishing, along with their regulations. The text is based on the exclusive competence that the Statute of Autonomy of the Community of Madrid recognizes in river and lake fishing, aquaculture, and hunting, and is framed within basic state legislation, particularly Law 42/2007, of December 13, on Natural Heritage and Biodiversity.

A regulation of three books and 191 articles

The law is structured into three books: the first regulates hunting (articles 1 to 81), the second fishing (articles 82 to 172), and the third the sanctioning regime and the improvement fund (articles 173 to 191). It is completed by four additional provisions, eight transitional provisions, one repealing provision, three final provisions, and five annexes detailing the huntable and fishable species, seasons, and modalities.

Among its novelties, mandatory planning stands out: all lands with hunting or fishing exploitation must have approved technical plans before the activity is carried out, and the role of hunting managers is reinforced. The regulation recognizes hunting as a social, economic, and sanitary activity, and as a tool for controlling overabundant populations.

Renewed sanctions and registry of offenders

The sanctioning regime is completely updated, as previous amounts, ranging from 1.50 to 30.05 euros, were considered insufficient to act as a deterrent. The new fines are scaled into three degrees:

• Minor infractions: fine from 200 to 1,000 euros.
• Serious infractions: fine from 1,001 to 10,000 euros.
• Very serious infractions: fine from 10,001 to 80,000 euros, with withdrawal of the license and disqualification for three to five years.

The law also creates the Regional Registry of Hunting and Fishing Offenders of the Community of Madrid and an improvement fund to manage the income generated by both exploitations. Coercive fines of 600 to 3,000 euros per month are also provided for.

Territorial and administrative changes

The regulation introduces relevant changes to land-use planning. The current Sonsaz National Hunting Reserve is renamed the Sonsaz Regional Hunting Reserve, and new designations are established, such as controlled hunting zones, hunting estates, and closed seasons. In the field of fishing, water bodies are classified by their fish-stocking suitability, and fishing estates, controlled fishing waters, and private waters are regulated.

The law is decisively committed to electronic administration: holders and tenants of estates and resources must interact electronically with the regional administration. Hunting and fishing regulation orders remain in effect until replaced, and a moratorium is provided for private surveillance obligations.

Impact on the rural environment

The regulation arrives in a context where approximately 70% of the surface area of the Community of Madrid is hunting land, and it expressly recognizes the activity of estates, including commercial ones, as an economic activity of general interest due to its contribution to employment, population retention, and habitat conservation. The law will enter into force six months after its publication in the Official Gazette of the Community of Madrid, allowing hunters, fishers, and managers time to adapt to the new framework.

Source: Official State Gazette, no. 213, August 29, 2026, Sec. I, page 117162 (official reference: BOE-A-2026-18282).