Metsähallitus’ Game and Fisheries Wardens reached 9,158 outdoor enthusiasts in 2025, reveals the supervision report published today. Inspections uncovered 585 violations, 54 of which led to a criminal investigation.
Most hunters, fishers and others out in nature know the rules and instructions and respect them. The report notes that more than nine out of ten outdoor enthusiasts passed the inspection with flying colours.
“As more people are out and about in nature, more supervision will be needed in the future. What gives rise to concern is the few serious cases that came to light and the knowledge that most aggravated cases are probably never detected,” says Henri Pelkonen, Manager, Game and Fisheries Supervision at Metsähallitus.
As usual, hunters had their permits and knowledge of the law sorted: 97% were found to be fully compliant. A few more serious cases were also uncovered, however. Early in the year, the media reported on a wolf that was poisoned in Puolanka. Other cases included chasing carnivores in snowmobiles, elk hunting without permits and two swans that were shot in Lapland.
While the cases uncovered in fishing supervision were less serious, the wardens came across more violations. Of the inspected fishers, 14% were guilty of minor infringements, such as violating the terms of the fishing permit, neglecting to pay the fisheries management fee or inadequate marking of fishing gear. In the most blatant case, a fisher was using 52 nets without a permit.
From year to year, the largest number of infringements in relative terms are found in off-road traffic. Almost one out of four of those inspected were found driving through the terrain or using tracks without the landowner’s permission, and according to the report, last year was no exception.
However, few violations were found in the supervision of other outdoor activities: penalties were handed down to 1.5% of those inspected, mainly due to campfires lit and camps set up without permission. Despite awareness campaigns, littering also continued in the wild.
The supervision report notes that while year 2025 was eventful in state-owned areas, other authorities lent their support to the supervision. During the year, 348 joint supervision exercises with other authorities were recorded, which is more than in many years.