The Finnish government is accelerating a contentious amendment to the Hunting Act through the parliamentary committee process, aiming to establish a quota-based wolf hunt for one hundred animals starting in January. This legislative push occurs despite sharp criticism from the Legislative Assessment Council regarding procedural shortcomings in the bill's preparation. The Maa- ja metsätalousvaliokunta, the parliamentary committee for agriculture and forestry, is working on an expedited schedule to issue its report, with sources indicating a target for Tuesday.
The core change removes the wolf from the list of permanently protected game species under Section 37a. This shift is enabled by a recent reclassification at the European Union level. In June, the wolf was moved from Annex IV, requiring strict protection, to Annex V of the EU Habitats Directive, which permits managed exploitation. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry interprets this downgrade as allowing nationwide quota-based hunting for the first time, moving beyond the previous system of case-by-case exception permits used for problem animals.
A draft decree from the ministry proposes a quota of one hundred wolves, targeting entire packs. This quota hunting represents a new administrative model for population management. A critical distinction is that quotas set by ministerial decree are not subject to the same appeal process as individual exception permits, a point that has drawn both support and concern. The Finnish Wildlife Agency and hunting associations have advocated for this approach, arguing it provides clearer, more efficient management.
During committee discussions, topics expanded beyond wolves. The Finnish Hunters' Association has formally requested that the new quota system be extended to cover bears and lynxes nationwide. While this possibility has been debated in the committee, ministry officials reportedly express skepticism. Both the bear and the lynx remain on the EU's strict-protection Annex IV, making similar legislative changes currently impossible under EU law. A separate attempt to conduct managed bear hunting via exception permits this autumn was halted by an injunction following a complaint from the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation, Tapiola.
That conservation group now voices profound concern over the combined impact of the proposed wolf quota and the continued removal of 'problem wolves.' In its statement, the organization warns of a severe risk to the population. It references the wolf culls of 2015 and 2016, which it states led to a population collapse. The group argues that the cumulative mortality from quota hunting and other causes could critically undermine the species' recovery in Finland.
The government's rush reflects a clear political priority from the coalition, particularly the Finns Party, which has long championed rural interests and predator control. The debate sits at a classic Finnish crossroads: balancing EU biodiversity commitments with the demands of rural landowners and reindeer herders who report livestock losses. The outcome will set a precedent for how Finland manages large carnivores under its revised EU obligations. The legislative trajectory suggests a political determination to enact this change rapidly, potentially sidelining deeper ecological review in favor of a swift policy win for its rural base. The next steps involve the committee's final report, a plenary vote in the Eduskunta, and the issuance of the ministerial decree to establish the January hunt.