NatureScot, Scotland's environmental regulator, has refused to issue a hunting licence for the guga hunt on Sula Sgeir, an uninhabited island in the Hebrides. The decision marks the first cancellation of this hunt in four centuries.
The guga hunt kills up to 2,000 northern gannet chicks over a 10-day period each year. Participants travel to the remote island, located 40 miles north of Lewis and Harris, to cull the birds. The hunt operates under a special exemption to wildlife protection laws, but NatureScot determined this year's licence application did not meet current standards for approval.
Northern gannets face mounting pressure from multiple sources. Commercial fishing removes prey species these seabirds depend on, while climate change alters ocean temperatures and food availability. Population studies show declining numbers across many colonies in the North Atlantic. The Sula Sgeir colony supplies one of the largest remaining gannet populations in European waters, making the chicks an attractive target for hunters who consider the meat a traditional delicacy.
Campaigners from animal welfare organizations celebrated the decision. Environmental groups have argued for years that the hunt serves no conservation purpose and inflicts unnecessary suffering on young birds that cannot fly. They note the practice persists primarily through cultural tradition rather than food security or population management needs.
The Hebridean community that conducts the hunt, primarily from the Isle of Lewis, claims the guga hunt represents an important cultural practice. Participants argue the hunt is sustainable and that they have conducted it responsibly for generations. The decision by NatureScot may spark tension between conservation policy and indigenous cultural practices.
The refusal comes as Scotland strengthens protections for seabirds under its 2021 Wildlife Management and Muirburn Reform Act. Regulators now apply stricter standards when evaluating hunting