Poultry hunting in Iceland to begin under new management system on October 25, 2024

Poultry hunting in Iceland will officially begin on October 25, 2024, under a new management system established by the Ministry of Environment, Energy, and Climate. The country’s hunting areas have been divided into six distinct zones, each with specific regulations.

Environment Minister Guðlaugur Þór Þórðarson confirmed the guidelines put forth by the Environment Agency, allowing for regulated hunting based on annual population monitoring of the ptarmigan. This year’s hunting framework follows a newly implemented management and conservation plan announced in September.

According to this plan, the number of hunting days each year will be determined by the status of ptarmigan populations in different zones. The areas designated for hunting include West Iceland, Westfjords, Northwest Iceland, Northeast Iceland, East Iceland, and South Iceland, with varying available hunting days ranging from 20 to 43 based on the specific conditions of each zone.

Hunting is permitted from Friday through Tuesday within the designated periods, and the hunting days are full days. For 2024, the distribution of hunting days is as follows:

– West Iceland: 20 days (October 25 – November 19)
– Westfjords: 25 days (October 25 – November 26)
– Northwest Iceland: 20 days (October 25 – November 19)
– Northeast Iceland: 20 days (October 25 – November 19)
– East Iceland: 43 days (October 25 – December 22)
– South Iceland: 20 days (October 25 – November 19)

This regional management is expected to aid in maintaining sustainable hunting practices and the protection of the ptarmigan population in Iceland.