The sale of meat from wild geese in Orkney will continue this year as part of a pilot to control bird numbers on the islands.
Farmers and crofters complain that greylag geese – which can weight over 7lbs and have a wingspan of nearly 19 inches – eat crops and grass needed for livestock.
Residents Orkney birds have increased over the past 20 years. In August last year 20,242 birds were recorded, a 5% reduction on 2012.
For the third year running local hunters will be licensed to shoot a limited number in August and September before birds migrating from Iceland arrive.
The idea is to keep the population of local birds down and limit the impact on farming while meeting conservation interests.
For the second year, goose meat will be sale locally and online through licensed outlets until July 2015 providing income locally.
Gail Churchill, Orkney operation manager for Scottish Natural Heritage, said: “We welcome the sale of wild goose meat in Orkney under licence once again this year. This pilot project is proven to sustainably reduce goose numbers while providing a boost for local shops and the Orkney economy.
“We undertook this work to respond to the concerns of local farmers and land managers. Last year 5,844 resident greylag geese were shot and the target for this year is 5,500. In succeeding years this number will reduce as the population decreases.”
Environment Minister Paul Wheelhouse said: “The Scottish Government is committed to supporting our rural communities, and we have listened to the concerns of farmers and land managers in Orkney about the effect that greylag geese, and, in particular, the resident population of the species, are having on crops and arable land.
“In response to those concerns, the project developed this sustainable solution which has widespread support in Orkney.
“The project also has the benefit of providing a boost to the local economy through the licensed sale locally and online of goose meat; a healthy and protein-rich food that would otherwise have been disposed of via landfill if the prohibition on the sale of such goose meat had remained in force.”