The Ministry for the Environment has rejected requests by the Icelandic Hunting Association to extend the ptarmigan hunting season. Bad weather in Iceland in recent weeks has reportedly prevented hunters from going out.

Photo by Hallgrímur Egilsson.

This year the ptarmigan hunting period was set at nine days but according to hunters, the weather has only allowed for two to three of the seven days which have already passed. The remaining two days are scheduled for this weekend but many of those who received licenses are still without ptarmigan.

Information officer at the ministry, Bergþóra Njála Guðmundsdóttir, said that bad weather had always affected ptarmigan hunting in Iceland and that it was not a reason to extend the season.

Bergþóra said that while weather was bad in some parts of the country, it was possible to hunt in other areas, visir.is reports.

“If the hunting season would be extended that would put additional pressure on the ptarmigan stocks beyond what was planned for when the rules were set,” she said.

The head of the Icelandic Hunting Association, Elvar Árni Lund, is deeply unhappy with the decision. “The minister is being intransigent,” he said. “This is a big disappointment because it shouldn’t be a big issue to add a few days to the current regulation.”

This year’s quota is 34,000 birds, up from 31,000 last year.

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ZR