Bucharest, Jul 24 (IANS): Romanian President Klaus Iohannis on Tuesday signed into law a controversial legislative project that raises the annual hunting quota for brown bears from 220 to nearly 500.

The new law, effective for 2024 and 2025, permits the culling of 426 bears as a preventive measure and an additional 55 bears for intervention purposes.

The legislation follows a recent fatal bear attack on a hiker in the Carpathians, which spurred lawmakers to pass the bill last week, Xinhua news agency reported.

The law also increases the CIC points threshold for hunting trophies from 350 to 400, prohibiting the harvesting of bears with fur exceeding this score or females with cubs under two years old.

Any specimens harvested with fur over 400 CIC points must be handed over to the National Forestry Guard and remain state property.

The Senate first adopted the law on November 6, 2023, with the Chamber of Deputies approving it on July 15, 2024.

Official figures have showed that 26 people have been killed and 274 others severely injured by bears over the past 20 years in Romania.

According to the Minister of the Environment, Romania's bear population is about 8,000, though the natural habitat can optimally support 4,000 bears while minimizing socio-economic impacts.

In the last 14 years, almost 2,000 bears have been killed, based on the exemptions.

Conservationists argue that the law violates EU legislation, as it is not based on scientific data and the exact number of bears in Romania is unknown.

Hunters can earn up to 18,000 euros for bear pelts and heads, according to an analysis by investigative publication Snoop.

The environmental NGOs express concerns that the increased quota could lead to unsustainable population declines and encourage trophy hunting practices.