A long-standing seabird hunt in Scotland will not take place this year after a government agency declined to grant a licence for the first time in four centuries. NatureScot, the public body responsible for managing Scotland’s natural heritage, rejected the request for the annual guga hunt on the remote island of Sula Sgeir, located approximately 40 miles north of Lewis and Harris in the Outer Hebrides.

The guga hunt, a tradition dating back to at least the 15th century, involves harvesting young northern gannets, known locally as guga, from their nests on the island’s cliffs. Typically, a group of about ten men known as the Men of Ness travel to the uninhabited island to catch up to 2,000 juvenile gannets. The birds are taken using poles with nooses, then dispatched with a blow to the head, gutted, salted, and preserved in brine as part of a food practice deeply rooted in the local culture.

NatureScot emphasized that the decision was based on scientific evidence and legal considerations, stating that an “adverse impact” on the gannet population is possible at the requested level of 2,000 birds, and even at a reduced quota of 500. The organisation explained that its board’s careful assessment led to the refusal to issue this year’s licence in order to protect the species.

The announcement has elicited mixed reactions. Wildlife and animal rights groups welcomed the decision as a step forward for conservation, with some describing it as a “victory for compassion” and “common sense.” These groups have long protested the hunt, citing concerns about the ethics and sustainability of taking such a large number of gannet chicks from a nature reserve.

Conversely, some members of the local community in Ness have expressed disappointment and frustration. Representatives of the Save Our Guga Harvest group criticized the decision, arguing that it undermines a centuries-old cultural practice and accused certain activists of intimidating local residents. Prior to the decision, tensions had risen due to protests and acts of civil disobedience by opponents of the hunt, including incidents of trespassing and vandalism at NatureScot’s headquarters in Inverness. Authorities responded by arresting two protesters who had staged a demonstration dressed in gannet costumes.

NatureScot condemned the aggressive behaviour reported during these protests, emphasizing the need for respectful dialogue. The dispute highlights the ongoing tension between wildlife conservation efforts and the preservation of traditional cultural practices within Scotland’s island communities.

This year’s cancellation marks a significant interruption to a tradition maintained for over 400 years, raising broader questions about the future sustainability of the guga hunt and the balancing of cultural heritage with environmental protection.