The hunting season for graylag and pink-footed geese began on Monday and will last through March 15, 2013. The Environment Agency of Iceland stated that graylag geese currently number 119,000 birds and pink-footed geese 250,000 birds.
Graylag geese. Photo by Geir Ólafsson.
In past years, the pink-footed goose stock numbered 300,000-350,000 birds but it seems to have suffered from the cold spring of 2011, while the graylag goose stock has grown, ruv.is reports.
Ornithologist Arnór Sigfússon told ruv.is that he expects the pink-footed goose stock to recover. The current condition of both stocks is decent, he said.
The average annual catch in the past decade are approximately 40,000 graylag geese and 15,000 pink-footed geese. White-fronted geese remain off limits. A good hunting season is expected.
ESA
