Finland lifts bear hunting quotas, urges permit applications by Midsummer

Finland’s ministry of agriculture and forestry will not impose quotas on bear hunting permits this year, clearing the way for an expanded cull after a court ruling upheld the legality of exception licenses, Yle reports.

The decision follows a Supreme Administrative Court ruling that last year’s 15 bear-hunting permits for the Joensuu and Enon regions were lawful, overturning a suspension order. Officials now expect hunting to begin on 20 August without further legal obstacles.

“Exception-based bear hunting has proven highly effective in practice,” said Sami Niemi, a natural resources counselor at the ministry. He noted the bear population has grown rapidly, with confirmed reports of damage, and added that courts now have “no grounds” to block permits after the court’s “particularly clear” precedent.

The Finnish Wildlife Agency (Riistakeskus), which evaluates harm caused by bears and ensures sustainable protection levels, will decide on permit numbers. It has asked hunters to submit applications by Midsummer week (late June) to allow processing before the season starts.

The ministry estimates 250–300 permits could be granted this autumn in areas with dense bear populations, a cull it says would not threaten conservation status. The Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke) projects 2,201–2,962 bears outside the reindeer-herding area this fall—up sharply from recent years, when no hunting occurred outside that zone.

The last non-reindeer-herding-area bear hunt took place in 2023.