In November 2018, the Standing Committee of the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (Bern Convention) agreed a Recommendation on the use of artificial feeding as a management tool of large carnivore populations and their prey, with a particular emphasis on the brown bear.

In the recommendation, which aims to promote co-existence of viable populations of large carnivores with sustained development of rural areas, the committee expresses concern about the use of supplementary feeding as a management tool. The use of supplementary feeding may modify carnivore density and distribution and is causing conservation concern because of the possible increase of its use without the control of possible negative consequences. The recommendation asks that Contracting Parties to the Convention:

1. “Examine where appropriate the impact on ecosystems of artificial feeding of large carnivores aiming to better understand the way in which it may affect other species and the behaviour, numbers and health of the target large carnivores;”
2. “Regulate as appropriate artificial feeding practices aimed at large carnivores, taking into account the position statement of the IUCN’s Large Carnivore Initiative for Europe which is available in appendix to [the] recommendation.”