Conditions for fox hunting unmet, agency says

Iceland's Nature Conservation Agency has called for an urgent review of the legal framework governing fox hunting, asserting that the conditions justifying these hunts are no longer met. The agency's assessment, detailed in its new plan for fox hunting from 2026 to 2028, highlights a significant decline in reported damage caused by foxes.

According to the law on the protection, conservation, and hunting of wild birds and mammals, fox hunting is primarily permitted to prevent damage. However, between 2023 and 2025, the agency received no reports of damage from sheep farmers, with only a few notifications concerning harm to eider duck nesting sites. "Based on the lack of registered damage, it is the clear assessment of the Nature Conservation Agency that the conditions for continued fox hunting under the current system are effectively unmet," the plan states.

The agency proposes a comprehensive reassessment of the basis and procedures for hunting, including a review of agreements with municipalities regarding reimbursements for hunting activities. Over 50 municipalities are involved in organized fox hunts, and since 2014, they have received state reimbursements based on hunting plans.

Fox hunting numbers have fluctuated considerably since 2014, peaking at 7,297 foxes in 2020 and reaching a low of 4,477 in 2015. The total cost to municipalities for these hunts has been nearly 1.5 billion Icelandic krónur (approximately $10.7 million USD), while state reimbursements have amounted to just over 320 million krónur (approximately $2.3 million USD). This significant cost disparity, coupled with minimal reported damage, underpins the agency's call for regulatory reform.

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Based on the lack of registered damage, it is the clear assessment of the Nature Conservation Agency that the conditions for continued fox hunting under the current system are effectively unmet.