On March 3, 1769, King Carlos III of Spain issued a royal order forbidding hunting and fishing during the months of March through July, to protect wildlife during breeding and spawning seasons. This early conservation measure was one of the first to recognize the need for seasonal closures in fisheries management. The order applied to all Spanish territories, including the Americas, and reflected the growing awareness of the limits of natural resources. The decree was part of the Enlightened reforms of the Spanish Crown.

Carlos III's decree was referenced in Spanish Enlightenment poetry, with writers like Nicolás Fernández de Moratín and Tomás de Iriarte celebrating it as a wise measure. The order also appears in the works of naturalist poets of the period, who praised the king's foresight. The decree's provisions were later cited in debates about conservation and the role of the state in regulating natural resources.