Freedom of Information Request - Mountain hare licences
Date: 24 October 2025
Our ref: SIR182001/A5534484
Information Request – Mountain hare licences
Your Request
Please can I request the following information:
(a) Since 1 March 2021 how many control licence applications have been received relating to mountain hare (please could you split that up by year)?
(b) Since 1 March 2021 how many control licence applications have been granted relating to mountain hare (please could you split that up by year)?
Our Response
Following a search of the information we hold our response is below.
| Year | # of control licence applications | # of control licences granted* |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 40 • 21 - new licence applications • 4 - amended licence applications • 15 - renewal licence applications | 40 |
| 2022 | 21 • 2 - new licence applications • 4 - amended licence applications • 14 - renewal licence applications • 1 - ‘no longer required’ licence application | 20 |
| 2023 | 35 • 7 - new licence applications • 6 - amended licence applications • 17 - renewal licence applications • 1 - ‘no longer required’ licence application • 3 - frozen licence applications • 1 - refused licence application | 30 |
| 2024 | 22 • 12 - new licence applications • 1 - amended licence application • 6 - renewal licence applications • 3 - refused licence applications | 19 |
| 2025 | 19 (as of 15th October 2025) • 13 - new licence applications • 1 - amended licence application • 5 - refused licence applications | 14 (as of 15th October 2025) |
* Includes new licences, amended licences, and renewed licences issued
Please note, we have taken ‘control’ to mean lethal control.
Please also note, each time a licence is amended or renewed a new licence number is generated, hence one location may hold multiple licence numbers over the years. This means the actual number of locations which have held a licence is lower than the number of licences issued.
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
