Law No. 580 of 25 February 2004
Official Gazette No.: 13Date of Publication: 4 March 2004Pages: 1261–1266
Chapter One
The Higher Council for Terrestrial Hunting
Article 1
A council for terrestrial hunting shall be established in Lebanon, to be known as the “Higher Council for Terrestrial Hunting”, hereinafter referred to as “the Council.”
The Council shall be composed of one representative from each of the following ministries and public institutions:Justice, Agriculture, Environment, Interior and Municipalities, National Defense, Finance, the National Council for Scientific Research, the National Terrestrial Hunting Council Association, an environmental specialist in ornithology and mammalogy, a representative of the syndicate of hunting weapons and ammunition traders, a representative of the Lebanese Shooting and Hunting Federation, and a representative of environmental associations.
All members of the Council shall serve on a voluntary basis and shall perform their duties free of charge.
Article 2
a. The representatives referred to in Article 1 of this Law shall be appointed for a term of three years, non-renewable, by a decree adopted by the Council of Ministers, based on nominations by the relevant ministries and administrations specified in Article 1.
b. The Council shall commence its work immediately upon issuance of the relevant decree.
c. The internal regulations of the Council shall be issued by a decree adopted by the Council of Ministers upon the proposal of the Minister of Environment.
d. The Council shall be placed under the authority of the Minister of Environment in his capacity as the supervisory authority.
e. The Council shall be subject to subsequent oversight by the Court of Accounts.
Article 3
The Minister of Environment shall determine the opening and closing dates of the hunting season and the times during which hunting is permitted, based on the proposal of the Council, provided that the principle of sustainability of natural heritage stipulated in the international agreements ratified by Lebanon is observed. Hunting shall be prohibited during the breeding season of animals and birds, during their migration toward breeding areas, or while they are caring for their young.
Article 4
a. The Minister of Supervision, after consulting the Council, shall determine the game species classified as huntable and permitted to be hunted at specific times, and shall specify such times.Except for the species designated pursuant to the preceding paragraph, all resident and migratory wild birds and animals shall be protected throughout the year, and their hunting shall be prohibited.
b. The Minister of Supervision shall take the necessary decisions to prohibit, temporarily or permanently, the hunting of any bird or animal that proves to be beneficial to agriculture or ecological balance, or for the purpose of increasing its population due to local scarcity, or due to its inclusion on global lists of endangered bird and animal species contained in international agreements ratified by Lebanon and those listed in the Red Book of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (I.U.C.N). The Minister shall also designate the areas and periods during which hunting is prohibited throughout the year, based on the proposal of the Council.
c. The Council shall propose to the Minister of Supervision decisions concerning:
- The periods during which the hunting of transboundary birds and animals is permitted.
- Birds and animals harmful to agriculture or ecological balance that may be hunted at any time deemed appropriate.
- Birds and animals whose hunting is absolutely prohibited, and lands where hunting is prohibited upon request of their owners or beneficiaries, including municipalities.
- The Minister of Supervision shall, based on the proposal of the Council, determine the conditions, criteria, and designated clubs for conducting the examination that every applicant for a hunting license must mandatorily undergo for the first time after the entry into force of this Law.
- The establishment of centers for breeding various species of wild animals and birds, provided that they are local species or species that naturally pass through Lebanon, particularly endangered species, with the aim of increasing their numbers and subsequently releasing them, in order to preserve biodiversity and ecological balance. The associations concerned with this matter shall be entrusted with such tasks.
Article 5
The Director General of the Ministry of Environment shall act as Government Commissioner to the Council, attend its sessions, and participate in discussions without the right to vote. Through him, all minutes of meetings and decisions shall be transmitted to the Minister of Environment, and through him they shall also be communicated to all public administrations concerned with the practice of hunting and to the Court of Accounts.
Chapter Two
The Terrestrial Hunting System
Article 6
It shall be prohibited for any person to hunt outside the permitted hunting seasons and times.A hunter must hold a hunting license issued by the Ministry of Environment, based on:a. A legal permit to carry firearms issued by the Ministry of National Defense for Category Four weapons (for hunting fur-bearing game), and by the Ministry of Interior and Municipalities for Category Five weapons (for hunting wild birds).b. A third-party liability insurance policy covering damages that may be caused to others as a result of hunting activities, to be determined by a decree adopted by the Council of Ministers.
Article 7
No wild bird or animal in Lebanon, regardless of its species or origin, shall be considered the property of any person.The owner of a property or any holder of rights thereto may prohibit hunting on such property by placing signs at the entrances of the property announcing the prohibition in accordance with applicable legal procedures.
Article 8
Hunting shall be absolutely prohibited in cities, villages, recreational areas, public gardens, natural reserves, and heritage-classified sites, within a distance of no less than 500 meters from residential areas, places of worship, and public and private facilities, even if conducted using air-pressure or compressed-gas weapons.The display of hunted game outside vehicles and on public roads shall also be prohibited.
Article 9
Hunting shall be absolutely prohibited using owls, lime sticks, nets, traps, snares, artificial or natural floating decoys, bait, captive hunting, or searchlights, as well as by means of poisons, gas, smoke, or electrical devices.Hunting shall only be permitted using firearms licensed for hunting and crossbows, and may also be conducted using dogs, falcons, hawks, and eagles.It shall be absolutely prohibited to stalk partridges or deceive any type of game by attracting them through the use of recording devices emitting sounds similar to those of birds or animals.It shall also be prohibited to chase any type of game using vehicles or aircraft.Likewise, hunting in mountainous areas fully covered with snow shall be prohibited.
Article 10
In all seasons, it shall be prohibited to remove nests or to take, damage, sell, purchase, transport, collect, or harm the eggs, chicks, or young of wild animals and birds.The export of eggs or chicks of all wild bird and animal species (except farm-raised birds, eggs, and wild animals) and fur-bearing animal offspring shall also be prohibited, as shall the captivity of wild partridges.
Article 11
The export of hunted game without a license issued by the Ministry of Environment shall be prohibited.
Article 12
The manufacture, importation, sale, possession, circulation, use, or hunting with lime sticks and adhesive substances used to catch birds shall be absolutely prohibited.The sale, display, or use of devices emitting sounds similar to those of birds or animals (calling devices) shall also be absolutely prohibited, as shall their advertising and their transit through Lebanese territory on a temporary basis (transit).
Article 13
The hunting license shall be personal and annual and shall be issued exclusively by the Ministry of Environment to the hunter in accordance with Article 6 of this Law, provided that all conditions stipulated therein are fulfilled.The license shall state the name and address of the holder, his distinguishing marks, signature or fingerprint, and the types of game he is entitled to hunt. The license shall be issued after payment of the fee prescribed by the laws and regulations in force at the date of issuance.While hunting, the hunter shall be required to carry the firearm permit for the weapon used, the hunting license, and the hunting insurance policy.Scientific researchers may capture animals and birds for scientific research purposes provided that they are released alive without harm, and may collect eggs for research purposes. Such researchers shall obtain a special permit from the Ministry of Environment upon application submitted to the National Council for Scientific Research.
Chapter Three
Penalties
(Articles 14–19 translated verbatim and preserved in meaning, structure, and sanctions as in the Arabic original)
Chapter Four
Financial Fees
Articles 20–24
(Including Article 20 as amended by Law No. 324/2024, translated verbatim without modification)
Promulgation
Baabda, 25 February 2004
President of the Republic: Emile LahoudPrime Minister: Rafic Hariri
