Finnish Wildlife Agency

The Finnish Wildlife Agency was launched in 2011. The background to this was the need to clarify the structure of game management, strengthen the impartiality of the exercise of public authority and respond to changing societal and international requirements.

Before the reform, there were three tiers of game management. The umbrella organisation was the national hunters’ central organisation MKJ, the provincial game management districts performed public administrative functions, while the municipal game management associations acted as local member organisations of hunters. The same actors both promoted hunting and exercised public power, which was seen as problematic from the point of view of constitutional requirements, administrative transparency and legal certainty.

The Finnish Wildlife Agency was established to centralise the public administration of game management in a national, independent public institution. The aim was a clear division of labour: the Finnish Wildlife Agency acts as an administrative authority, while the role of the game management associations focuses on the practical promotion of hunting and game management. At the same time, the coherence and strategic direction of decision-making throughout the country was strengthened.

The reform was also linked to a shift in resource policy. In the 2000s, game began to be seen as part of a broader picture that combines biodiversity, ecosystem services, rural vitality and various societal interests. Game policy increasingly became a societal issue, requiring science-based and transparent management.

The establishment of the Wildlife Agency was part of the same development in which other actors, such as the Finnish Forest Centre, were also reformed within the administrative branch of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. These reforms emphasised the separation of public power from advocacy and the need to strengthen the credibility of the administration.

The Finnish Wildlife Agency is therefore a product of its time: it was created to meet the needs of changing natural resource policy, administration and society, and to integrate game management more closely with other natural resource management.

The tasks of the Finnish Wildlife Agency are defined in the Finnish Game Management Act. The tasks are divided into public administrative tasks and other tasks. The activities are based on the Finnish Game Management Act (158/2011) and the annual revenue agreement concluded between the Finnish Wildlife Agency and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.

The majority of the public administrative tasks are licensing management. Typical tasks include processing applications for hunting permits for moose hunting and issuing decisions on hunting permits. Exemptions from the moratorium on game species and permits for prohibited hunting methods and gear are also part of the public administration tasks of the Wildlife Agency.

Tasks that do not require the exercise of public authority include the promotion of sustainable game management in all its aspects and support for the activities of game management associations and hunters.

Public administrative tasks

According to the Finnish Game Management Act, the public administrative tasks of the Finnish Wildlife Agency are:

• the tasks provided for in the Hunting Act (615/1993) and the Act on Game Management Fee and Fishing Licence Fee (616/1993)
• obtaining and maintaining adequate insurance cover for hunters’ group insurance and for the performance of the duties of the officials of the hunting associations they have appointed
• appointment, guidance and supervision of game wardens in game management associations
• the appointment, guidance and supervision of examiners of hunters’ examiners and examiners of marksmen’s examiners in game management associations
• appointment, guidance and supervision of representatives of game management associations in the field inspections referred to in Section 25 of the Game Damage Act (105/2009)
• general supervision of the activities of game management associations
• other public administrative tasks assigned to the Finnish Wildlife Agency under the Finnish Game Management Act or other legislation.

Other tasks

According to the Finnish Game Management Act, the other tasks of the Finnish Wildlife Agency are:

• promoting sustainable game management and controlling the public interest in game management
• monitoring the status, development, sustainability and vitality of game populations and developing related activities in partnership with research
• promoting game management and the management of game habitats
• preparing, drafting and updating management plans for game species and their habitats
• promoting the prevention of damage caused by wildlife
• promoting sustainable, safe and ethical hunting
• promotion of the activities of game management associations and training of officers of game management associations
• the provision of expert, training and advisory services relating to hunting, game management and game animals
• information and communication
• Maintaining and developing common information systems, data resources and information services of the Finnish Wildlife Agency and game management associations, and participating in the development of common information systems, data resources and information services of the industry.
• participation in international cooperation.

The Finnish Wildlife Agency is an expert organisation of around 80 people covering the whole of Finland, except for Åland. We operate in 15 regions, each with a regional office. The central office is located in Tapanila, Helsinki, together with the regional office in Uusimaa.

Contact details for regional offices and staff can be found in the contact section.

The Agency’s activities consist of the following processes:

Public administrative tasks

The broadest set of tasks in the public administration process are those laid down in the Hunting Act and the Act on Game Management Fee and Fishing Licence Fee. This process is independent of the other processes of the Wildlife Agency.

Sustainable game management

A key task of the Sustainable Game Management process is to promote game management and ensure sustainable hunting. The design of the annual taxation of game stocks will ensure sustainable use of stocks and support the prevention of game damage. Extensive game data collection and related definitions, as well as investment in habitat management, will enable the conservation of vibrant game populations.

Services

The Services process is responsible for providing a wide range of services to the Finnish Wildlife Agency’s hunter customers and advising citizens on game-related issues. The Hunter Services process is responsible for increasing the knowledge and skills of both hunting customers and customers who intend to become hunters. The process plays an important role in supporting the activities of game management associations and in particular the important voluntary work they provide for game.

As part of the services process, the welfare benefits of game management will be identified and made more widely known. In line with the strategy, particular attention will be paid to rural vitality and motivating landowners to manage nature as part of agriculture and forestry.

The main objective is to assess the different aspects of the game industry and their importance in society, in particular the very important voluntary work done in the game sector and its impact on the national economy.

Strategy and management and communication

Strategic work and servant leadership will align the core processes and volunteering of the Wildlife Agency with strategically important objectives and provide them with operational resources.

Communications is responsible for the external and internal communication. It produces the publications Metsästäjäjä/Jägaren and manages the Agency’s own communication channels (website and social media) and maintains stakeholder relations.

Internal services

Support services provide the infrastructure, human resources and financial management services for core processes to operate efficiently in a decentralised environment.

The highest decision-making body of the Finnish Wildlife Agency is the Board of Directors. The Board is responsible for approving the planning and monitoring documents.

The Board is made up of ten people appointed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. The Regional Assembly nominates people to the National Game Council, six of whom are proposed by the Game Council to represent the people who have paid the game management fee. From these six, the Ministry selects a chairman and vice-chairman for the board. The remaining four members of the Board represent the Ministry, the Natural Resources Institute Finland, a national organisation of importance to agriculture and forestry, and the staff of the Finnish Wildlife Agency. The contact details of the Board members can be found in the contact details section.

Steering Group

The Director of the Finnish Wildlife Agency leads the operational activities, is responsible for the performance of the Agency’s activities and is responsible for the preparation of matters dealt with by the Board and the implementation of its decisions.

The Head of Public Administration is responsible for the performance of public administration tasks. The Head of Public Administration shall be independent of the Director’s right of superintendence in the exercise of his or her public administration functions.

In addition to the Director and the Head of Public Administration, the Management Team includes the Heads of the Sustainable Game Management Process, the Services Process and the Internal Services Process, as well as the Head of Communication, who acts as Secretary of the Management Team. The Extended Management Group is composed of representatives of the Wildlife Agency’s regions in three major regions: Western Finland, Eastern Finland and Northern Finland.

The structure of the Finnish Wildlife Agency’s strategic plan is in line with the MMM’s Game Group strategy for 2023-2030, and the plan is updated annually. Strategic planning always starts with a situation analysis of the operating environment, in which the phenomena and tacit signals affecting the mission of the Agency and the implementation of the strategy are assessed. Changes in the operating environment are monitored throughout the year, involving not only the Board and management but also the Agency’s staff, other actors within the Group, external experts and key stakeholders. The review will focus on the key megatrends affecting the business environment identified in the RAC strategy. The strategy of the Public Game Group is presented on the website of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (mmm.fi).

Mission statement

We are responsible for the vitality of game populations, ensuring the diverse and sustainable use of game and reconciling the different expectations of the game industry.

Vision 2023-2030

Well-being from nature – and for nature
Finland is a pioneer in the sustainable use, management and conservation of game populations and habitats.

Strategic goals

We safeguard biodiversity and prepare for climate change, and encourage landowners and hunters to manage game habitats in a supportive way.

We improve the overall sustainability of hunting and ensure the vitality of game populations by regulating hunting based on up-to-date game data. We will strengthen multi-species stock management and the research it requires.

We provide information and active communication about game, hunting and game management to all Finns, and offer high-quality and up-to-date training in gun handling to start a responsible and safe hobby and strengthen skills.

We base hunting on wild game and guide hunters towards reasonable catches, game appreciation and research-based game management.

We recognise the different values and expectations associated with rice and offer the opportunity for open dialogue and reconciliation. We manage game-related conflicts by strengthening measures and resources to prevent damage and harm, so that damage caused by game is kept at a reasonable level.

We will ensure the continuity of the voluntary work needed by society and the availability of game information through the renewal, professional management and support of game management associations.

We will develop the Group’s internal policies and networks and increase the Group’s international cooperation and influence. Strengthen equality and equity in the Group’s activities and in the distribution of hunting opportunities

The Finnish Wildlife Agency’s activities are mainly financed by game management fees and hunting licence fees collected from hunters. The draft State budget allocates an annual appropriation for the payment of the expenditure referred to in Article 3 of the Act (616/1993) on game management fees and hunting licence fees, project activities and staff costs. Part of the funds from the game management fee will be used to support the activities of game management associations, hunting museums and strategic development projects. The game management fee has been €43 (€10 per person under 18) and has been revised in 2022.

Report of the Finnish Wildlife Agency 2024 (PDF)

In Finland, international cooperation in the field of game is planned and coordinated by the public Finnish Game Consortium. The Finnish National Board of Game participates in international cooperation as the representative of the Finnish state.

International work has three main objectives:

1) Anticipation of international trends is needed for strategic planning in the Finnish game industry. It requires

• international networking
• involvement in the work of international institutions
• the exchange of information and specialisation of international actors (game group, environmental administration) at home.

2) Directives largely determine the content of our national legislation. The content of international agreements, and of recommendations and directives based on or within the framework of these agreements, is what we want to influence. This implies

• participation in meetings, negotiations, working groups and other situations where international agreements are drawn up and strengthened
• managing relations with the bodies and persons involved in the above-mentioned events and working groups.

3) It is important to gather knowledge and to communicate Finnish knowledge to international forums. It requires

• networking with international experts in the field
• those who are the main actors in these areas at home are involved in international activities
• recruiting and training staff capable of international work.

International work will be developed as follows:

1) Appoint persons in charge of international agreements and topics of international importance.

• Baltic Sea seal issues(HELCOM (helcom.fi)): project manager Mikko Toivola
• Migratory waterbirds(AEWA (aewa.org)): project manager Mikko Alhainen
• Great Apes: special designer Harri Norberg and project manager Mari Lyly
• International conservation issues(IUCN (iucn.org)): special advisor Marko Svensberg
• International Game Conservation(CIC (cic-wildlife.org)): project manager Mikael Wikström
• EU27 Wildlife Management Directors, Wildlife Management Director Jarkko Nurmi

2) Become an implementer or party to international management plans.

• An example of this is the EU-level management plan for the taiga forest goose along its annual habitat and migration routes (FlyWay).

3) Building international skills.

• International skills are taken into account in recruitment.
• 6-12 month assignments are available for international assignments.
• Educate domestic staff about international agreements and the EU organisation.
• Support language learning for staff.

4) Participate in international cooperation between game authorities.

• EU-27 fisheries administrations
• In particular the Baltic and Nordic countries

5) To be responsible for the management of the Finnish delegation of the International Game Conservation Organisation (CIC) and to participate in its work as an organisation and as a representative of the Finnish state.

6) Not participating in the work of NGOs (non-governmental organisations).