In 2022, predators caused more than €10 million worth of damage to the reindeer industry. The state will not be able to fully compensate for the damage, with the remainder of the damages to be paid in the autumn.
The state cannot fully compensate for last year’s predator damage. From 13 April, reindeer herders will be paid 74% of the damage caused by predators. The remainder will be paid later, if money is available in the government’s supplementary budget.
– A possible supplementary budget may be ready in early June. The later instalment will probably be paid in August-September at the earliest,” says Laanikari.
In 2022, predators caused more than €10 million worth of damage to the reindeer industry. The wolverines caused the most damage. The EU Commission has set a compensation ceiling of €10 million for predator damage. If the damage exceeds this limit, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry will apply to Parliament for additional funding.
The compensation limit of the EU Commission will remain at the same level for the next few years, despite the increased damages.
– It cannot be raised in the short term. In 2025 or maybe 2026, there could be a higher limit on compensation. Until then, we will proceed according to the EUR 10 million payment ceiling, Laanikari states.
No derogations for wolverines in the worst areas
Reindeer herders will not be left without full compensation for the first time. In 2017 and 2018, the state had to cut off part of the compensation because the damages grew so large. In 2019, the much-talked-about Lex Halla was removed, and he reimbursed paliskuns who suffered exceptionally large animal damage triple the amount of reindeer damage.
Although the destruction is currently at record levels, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the damage caused by large carnivores will increase even more.
– That’s for sure. Wolverine hunting has practically been completely prevented in the worst damage areas, which are Natura areas. There, it is considered that the removal of even one wolverine significantly harms the conservation values \u200b\u200bof the Natura area, says Laanikari.
The situation is particularly difficult in the northernmost paliskunnets of the reindeer husbandry area. Most of them belong to Natura areas, and many paliskunna are located in national parks.
– In practice, wolverine exemption permits cannot be granted to the worst areas, no matter how great the damage is. And these worst damage areas are specifically the large Natura areas and national parks in the north, says Laanikari.
The background is the KHO’s decision regarding wolverine hunting in Käsivarre paliskunta in 2017. The decision stated that the Game Center had acted incorrectly when granting a wolverine hunting permit in Tarvantovaara, which is part of the Natura 2000 protected area. After the KHO’s decision, all wolverine hunting license applications must undergo a Natura assessment.
Reindeer herders distressed by increased wolverine population
Tornensis describes that the Wolves have been very aggressive this year.
– The weather has been such that the snow does not carry reindeer, but a wolverine does. Of course, wolverines have also increased because hunting permits are not issued, says Tornensis.
According to Tornensis, it is impossible to replace the killed vaags, i.e. female reindeer. Predation damage is clearly felt in the wallets of reindeer herders.
– We have to leave a lot of fawns alive to keep the number of female reindeer at the same level. The wolverine takes the best and heaviest reindeer that the snow does not carry. It is not true that it would kill the weakest individual, says Tornensis.
The reindeer owner is disappointed that the state is not able to fully compensate the animal damage.
– It means that there is less money for driving, shepherding and daily movement. However, you should move to see what is happening in the fell, says Juha Tornensis.