Faroe Islands extends goose hunting permits by five years

The Faroese government has extended permits to hunt greylag geese and barnacle geese by five years, following a proposal from the Labour Council, national broadcaster Kringvarp Føroya reports.

A total of 129 geese have been shot in the Faroe Islands since 2022, with annual figures rising from 26 in 2022 to 37 in 2024, according to data from the Labour Council. Most were culled at Velbastaður, where 40 geese were killed.

The current permit, introduced in 2021 to allow the shooting of greylag geese causing agricultural damage, was set to expire on 1 January 2026. A new legislative proposal now seeks to extend it until 1 January 2031.

Hunters who fail to report their culling numbers will not have their permits renewed, the Labour Council stated. Fourteen permits were issued last year.

All wild geese species remain protected in the Faroe Islands, except under special dispensation for greylag and barnacle geese in cultivated areas.