Finnish Parliament has approved an amendment to the Hunting Act to allow hunting of wolves for population management purposes. MPs approved the legislative change by a broad margin of 135–35.
In Tuesday's vote, 45 MPs from opposition parties voted with the government, including 24 from the SDP and 18 from the Centre Party.
The law loosens the protection of wolves so that they are no longer protected all year round. Wolves may now be hunted during periods designated by the government.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry will set annual regional hunting quotas.
The law takes effect in less than two weeks, on 1 January. The initial goal is to allow the hunting of 65 wolves at that point.
In May, the European Parliament changed the EU's Habitats Directive, shifting the wolf from being a strictly protected species to a protected one.
In late November, Finland’s independent Council of Regulatory Impact Analysis sharply criticised the government's handling of the wolf-hunting legislation, saying it bypassed regular procedure and failed to carry out an impact analysis.
Court cancels some wolf and lynx hunting permits
Earlier this week, the Administrative Court revoked permits to shoot wolves and lynx in three nature reserves.
In January, the state forest agency Metsähallitus granted permits allowing the killing of three wolves and two lynx in the areas of the Olvassuo, Värriö and Pisavaara conservation areas.
The Administrative Court ruled that the decision violated the Nature Conservation Act Animals may only be killed in nature reserves if they pose a threat to human safety or cause significant financial damage.
