Freedom of Information Request - Guga Hunt Licensing Dates & Numbers Culled (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2024, 2025)
Date: 23 September 2025
Our ref: SIR181475/A5428092
Information Request – Guga Hunt Licensing Dates & Numbers Culled (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2024, 2025)
Your Request
‘I am seeking information about the licensing of the annual guga hunt for the following years: 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2024, and 2025. Please provide the following, broken down clearly by each of these years:
- Licensing Dates
- The exact dates (month and day) on which the guga hunt was licensed to occur.
- The exact day(s) on which the culling actually took place.
- Numbers Culled and Culling
- The number of gannet chicks that the licence permitted to be taken each year.
- The actual number of chicks reported as culled each year, and how nature scot ensures the number of chicks culled is that stated in the license.
- How the guga hunt (culling) was carried out (methods authorised or/and reported).
- Whether there were any restrictions or guidance on methods given by NatureScot in each licence.
If any data for 2025 is not yet available, please explicitly confirm this in your response. If data from previous years is not available, please give a reason as to why the data is not available.’
Our Response
| Response | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2025 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Licence commence date | 15/08/2016 | 18/08/2017 | 20/08/2018 | 01/08/2019 | Withheld | Withheld |
| Licence expiry date | 16/10/2016 | 31/10/2017 | 31/10/2018 | 31/10/2019 | Withheld | Withheld |
| Number of gannet chicks permitted to be taken | 2000 | 2000 | 2000 | 2000 | licence not used due to adverse weather – licence amended | 500 |
| Actual number of chicks taken | 1980 (counted and reported by SNH Operations Officer) 2000 (reported by licence holder) | 1900 (counted and reported by SNH Operations Officer) | 1791 (counted and reported by SNH Operations Officer) | 1987 (counted and reported by SNH Operations Officer) | Nil | 485 (counted and reported by NatureScot Operations Officer) (licence holder return not due until October 2025) |
| How the culling was carried out (methods authorised or/and reported) | Killed by a swift blow to the head | We do not hold this information | We do not hold this information | We do not hold this information | Nil | We do not hold this information (return not due until October 2025) |
We do not hold information on which days the licenced culling takes place.
The birds must only be taken or killed by a method not prohibited by Section 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. The licence permits the taking and killing of young gannets only. Birds taken must be killed immediately and in a humane manner. Advice may be obtained from the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
To ensure the number of chicks culled is that stated in the licence the gannets must not be taken from the boat until a count of them has been made by a member of staff of NatureScot, the Scottish Government, or any other person authorised by NatureScot.
We have withheld information relating to the timescales of the 2025 Guga hunt. Releasing this information into the public domain in response to this request, risks the individuals involved being identified and could lead to them being targeted and/or harassed and pose a risk to public safety. We are withholding this information under EIRs regulation 10(5)(a) (Public Safety).
How We Handled Your Request
We believe you have asked for environmental information as defined in the Environmental Information (Scotland Regulations 2004 (‘the EIRs’), so we are dealing with your request under those regulations. To be able to use the EIRs, we must apply an exemption under section 39(2) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (‘FOISA’). The Scottish Information Commissioner’s guidance recommends that public authorities apply this exemption to environmental information and handle request under the EIRs.
If you would like to find out more about the access to information legislation, there is a guidance booklet available on the Scottish Information Commissioner’s website.
Review and Appeal
I hope this information meets your requirements, but if you are dissatisfied with how we have responded to your information request, please write to us within 40 working days explaining your concerns. You can contact us at Battleby, Redgorton, Perth, PH1 3EW or email us at [email protected]. We will carry out a review of our response and contact you with our findings within 20 working days.
If you are not satisfied following this, you can make an appeal to the Scottish Information Commissioner within 6 months. The Scottish Information Commissioner can be contacted at:
Scottish Information Commissioner
Kinburn Castle
Doubledykes Road
St Andrews
Fife
KY16 9DS
Telephone: 01334 464610
Yours sincerely
FOI Officer,
NatureScot
