Spain Sporting Goods Hunting Market Intelligence

Spain is a nation with a vibrant hunting and outdoor culture, as shown by the fact that 83% of the nation’s land is designated as a preserve where hunting can take place. There is also a wide diversity of wildlife offered in Spain, including 11 types of big game species to hunt: arrui, balearean boc, Hispanic capra, row deer, Andalusian roe deer, fallow deer, wild boar, mouflon, chamois, and sarrio deer. According to most recent data, over 118,400,000lbs of game were hunted in Spain, adding a value of $97,218,000 to Spain’s economy. Of the total pounds from hunting prizes, 72% (85,264,046lbs) were big game and 28% (33,170,968lbs) were small game.

Hunting is a regulated sport in Spain and requires a permit to both purchase a firearm and catch game. However, hunting is a welcome sport in Spain that receives support from both regional and federal government. Spain’s Ministry of Agriculture developed a National Strategy for Hunting Management. In it, they explicitly praise hunting as “a necessity for a sustainable future” and “the best tool to keep the damage [of wildlife on agriculture] at economically acceptable levels.” Similarly, the plan outlines 5 main objectives for the future of the hunting industry:

1. To defend a sustainable hunting model integrated into rural development and as an element in the fight against depopulation, in balance with other functions, services, uses and uses of the natural environment.
    
2. To establish management guidelines for hunting activity, which allow for its orderly and sustainable exercise, adapted to the needs and new management challenges.

3. To implement interoperable hunting information and monitoring systems based on the best available scientific knowledge.

4. To promote inter-administrative coordination and integration of environmental, social and economic demands and in hunting management.
    
5. To improve the social image of hunting and promotion of its environmental, socioeconomic and cultural benefits, as well as the training of hunters and promotion of good practices in the sector.

Despite the strategic plan, there are other governmental actions that have upset the Spanish hunting community such as prohibiting the hunting of wolves and turtledoves.

Hunting in Spain is well organized. Although the national government and the Royal Spanish Hunting Federation speak for hunting as a whole, it is up to each of Spain’s autonomous communities and their respective hunting federation to enforce hunting regulations at a local level. The autonomous communities that issued the most hunting permits were Andalucía (237,679 licenses), Castilla-La Mancha (96,360 licenses) and Castilla y León (87,457 licenses). However, hunting in northwest Spain also has a large presence: 3.26% of the population in Aragón and 3.05% of the population in Navarra carry a hunting license compared to the Spanish median of 1.47%.

Cinegética is the largest hunting and outdoors fair in Spain and one of the most prominent in Europe. It will take place March 23-26, 2023, at IFEMA in Madrid, Spain. In addition to its 10^th anniversary, Cinegética 2023 is expected have more than 270 exhibitors and more than over 30,000 visitors. The fair will include industry leaders in every outdoors industry imaginable: knives, ammunition & shooting, game management, dogs, fishing, decorative weapons, optics, clothing, insurance, taxidermy, hunting travel, and specialized media. Similarly, the fair is hosting a trophy competition to award hunters with the best trophies overall and for hunters who have captured 12 out of 14 types of local Spanish big game.

For more information, please contact Sr. Commercial Specialist, Carlos Perezminguez.