Hunting in Finland - Game damages and compensation measures to land owners in Finland

1. Hunting in Finland-Game damages and compensation measures to land owners in Finland Sauli Härkönen C/O Hunters' Central Organization

2. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Department of Fisheries and Game Unit for Game and Reindeer Husbandry Hunters’ Central Organization Game Management Districts (15) Game Management Associations (298) Hunters 360 000 Hunters’ Organisation in Finland C/O Hunters' Central Organization

3. Hunting authorities • Besides the State authorities (mainly Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry), matters concerning hunting and game management are handled by the Hunters’ Central Organization, Game Management Districts and Game Management Associations, which are all based on the independent initiative of hunters, as laid down in Hunting Act. • Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry is the supreme authority in the steering and control of hunting and game management. C/O Hunters' Central Organization

4. The tasks of theHunters’ Central Organization • to develop hunting and game management and to carry out game management experiments • to promote training and advisory services concerning hunting and game management • to steer and supervise the activities of 15 Game Management Districts • to carry out tasks as ordered by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry • to deal with other matters for which it is responsible under Hunting Act e.g. - to provide a hunter’s insurance - to keep a register of hunters C/O Hunters' Central Organization

5. The tasks of theGame Management Districts • to provide training and advisory services concerning hunting and game management • to promote and assist in game management • to steer and supervise the activities of Game Management Associations • to perform tasks ordered by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and the Hunters’ Central Organization • to perform other tasks laid down for it • e.g. to grant hunting licences for cervid hunting • Game Management Districts are subject to the supervision and steering of the Hunters’ Central Organization. C/O Hunters' Central Organization

6. The board of theGame Management District • The task of the board of the Game Management District is to prepare and execute the decisions of the assembly of the district and to manage practical matters of the district. • The board has the right of to be heard in matters concerning the Game Management District in a court of justice and before other authorities and otherwise represents the district. • The assembly of the Game Management District elects a minimum of four and a maximum of seven board members and their personal deputies from among candidates nominated by the Game Management Associations. • In addition, the assembly of the Game Management District elects one member with a personal deputy to the board from among the candidates nominated by regionally significant landowner associations. C/O Hunters' Central Organization

7. The tasks of theGame Management Associations • to provide training and advisory services concerning hunting and game management • to promote game management • to supervise hunting • to perform other tasks laid down for it or ordered by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry or the Game Management District • e.g. to arrange hunting examinations and shooting tests. • The territory of the Game Management Association is the territory of the municipality. C/O Hunters' Central Organization

8. Application of processing and publicity provisions • The Administrative Procedure Act (434/2003) applies to the activity of the Hunters' Central Organization, Game Management Districts and Game Management Associations when managing public administration tasks. • The Act on the Openness of Government Activities (621/1999) and Act on Electronic Services and Communication in the Public Sector (13/2003) also apply to the activity of the Hunters' Central Organization, Game Management Districts and Game Management Associations. C/O Hunters' Central Organization

9. A decision made by a Game Management District or Association concerning an administrative matter referred to in Hunting Act may be appealed to the Appeals Board for Rural Industries within 30 days from the receipt of notice of the decision. • Provisions concerning penal public liability apply to members of the boards of the Hunters’ Central Organization, Game Management District and Game Management association as well as their officials when performing tasks under Hunting Act. C/O Hunters' Central Organization

10. Hunters’ organisation • Funding through state budget • Game management fee of 28 € • - collected annually from all hunters • Additional income from • selling advertising space in it’s own publication, Metsästäjä -magazine and from selling books and other material • shooting test fees (7 € per test) • hunting examination fees (13 € per examination) • hunting licence decision fees (22 € per decision) C/O Hunters' Central Organization

11. Development of hunter numbers • The number of hunters (i.e. who have annually paid the game management fee) in Finland has remained fairly stable for the past 20 years (ca. 300,000) • The recent years there has been, even, a slight increase in the numbers C/O Hunters' Central Organization

12. In order to hunt in Finlandeach hunter must have • a Finnish hunting card • hunting rights or a hunting permit granted by a land owner or holder of hunting rights • a firearms license • in cervid species and bear hunting: a certificate of a passed shooting test • for certain species of game, a hunting license C/O Hunters' Central Organization

13. Hunting card • Hunters must pay a game management fee to the state each hunting year. • The receipt for making this payment will serve as a hunting card for that particular year. • The game management fee is determined yearly in the state´s budget • for the past few years it has been 28 euro. • Before a person can purchase a hunting card, he or she must pass a hunting examination. • the examination has been obligatory since 1964. • The hunting card is valid for one hunting year, which begins August 1 and ends July 31 of the following calendar year. • The game management fee includes hunting insurance, which covers e.g. personal damages caused by a firearm during hunting. C/O Hunters' Central Organization

14. Huntingexamination • Hunting examination has been obligatory since 1964 • The examination includes a coaching course (12 hours) • Written test • There is no age limit for taking this examination • The candidates are 16 years of age on average • In 2006, the examination was successfully completed by 7 900 persons C/O Hunters' Central Organization

15. Numbers of peoplecompleting the examinationin recent years C/O Hunters' Central Organization

16. Hunting rights • In Finland, hunting rights belong to the land owner, who may lease the hunting rights in his domain to another party. • Private persons own 65% of Finland´s area. • Privately-owned areas generally consists of land and water from 5 to 200 hectares. • Hunting Act: “the owner of an area is entitled to engage in hunting and make decisions on hunting” C/O Hunters' Central Organization

17. Hunting rights • The state owns about 25% of Finland´ s land area, mainly in eastern and northern Finland. • Metsähallitus (The Finnish Forest and Park Service) is responsible for most of the use of hunting rights and game management on state lands. C/O Hunters' Central Organization

18. Hunting clubs • Hunters have founded hunting clubs (hunting associations) and leased areas for hunting and game management. • The aim is to form sufficiently large and uniform hunting areas. • the minimum area is 1,000 hectares for moose hunting and 500 hectares for hunting other cervids • for roe deer and other game species no area limits • Today there are over 4,000 hunting clubs in Finland who have hunting grounds ranging in size, generally, from 2 000 to 10 000 hectares. • The clubs take care of arrangements related to hunting, game management and supervision in their areas. C/O Hunters' Central Organization

19. Leasing a hunting right • Landowners may lease their hunting rights in whole or in part (hunting lease contract). • Upon the request of a party to a contract, a hunting lease contract must be made in writing and signed. • A hunting lease is made for a fixed term or indefinitely. C/O Hunters' Central Organization

20. Moose damage C/O Hunters' Central Organization

21. Compensation for damage caused by game species • Game Damage Act enters into force 1 Dec 2009. • Compensation for damage caused by fallow deer, red deer, sika deer, moose, white-tailed deer, forest reindeer, bear, wolf, wolverine, lynx, grey seal, and Baltic ringed seal to agriculture, forestry, fishing, traffic and domestic and farmed animals are paid from State funds within the State budget framework. • Compensation for personal injuries and damage caused to movable property other than that included in the property referred to above is also paid from State funds within the State budget framework. C/O Hunters' Central Organization

22. Compensation for damage caused by game species • For special reasons, it may be provided by decree that compensation for damage caused by a game animal other than the aforementioned is paid from State funds. • No decree in force • Otherwise, hunting is the main tool to prevent or mitigate damage caused by game species. • Also development of cost-effective (e.g. mechanical and/or chemical) preventive methods is needed to reduce the risk of damage caused by game species. C/O Hunters' Central Organization

23. Hunting licence fees • A person granted a licence required for hunting cervids must pay a fee to the State (hunting licence fee) for each cervid killed (not for roe deer). • Adult moose 120 €, calf 50 € • Other cervids: adult 17 €, calf 8 € • The fee must be paid within seven days of the end of the cervid hunting season, as laid down by decree. • The funds accumulating as hunting licence fees are primarily used to cover expenditure arising from the prevention of and compensation for damage caused by cervids. • The funds may also be used to cover expenditure arising from the monitoring of cervid populations and research on cervids. C/O Hunters' Central Organization

24. Moose damage and compensations C/O Hunters' Central Organization

25. Large carnivore damage and compensations • ca. 2.5 mill. € / year • Mainly semi-domesticated reindeer in northern Finland • Cattle and sheep • Dogs • Bee keeping C/O Hunters' Central Organization

26. Hunting statistics C/O Hunters' Central Organization

27. Hunting statistics C/O Hunters' Central Organization

28. For more information, contact: • Hunters´ Central Organization Fantsintie 13-14 FI-00890 HELSINKIFINLAND • Tel. +358 9 2727 810 Fax +358 9 2727 8130  • http://www.riista.fi C/O Hunters' Central Organization

29. Thank you! Photo Mikael Luoma C/O Hunters' Central Organization