Sweden is committed to long-term conservation of viable populations of wild animals occurring in the country. Sustainable use of natural environment is possible.
Sustainable use
All plants and animals occurring naturally in Sweden are to be conserved in viable long-term populations, and it must also be possible to make use of the natural environment in a sustainable way.
Management of wild animals is governed by legislation based on international conventions, including the 1992 convention on biological diversity. The government ministries sharing responsibility in this field are the Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Agriculture.
Different interests
The Swedish EPA is responsible for wildlife management. Wildlife conservation interests are weighed up against public and private interests, eg, hunting and the demand for skins and meat versus bird-watching and other enjoyment of the natural environment.
Wildlife management is governed by the hunting legislation, which lays down regulations on hunting of species in general, as well as controlled hunting of wild animals not yet existing in viable populations.
Endangered species
Wildlife management at the Swedish EPA includes decisions on hunting and controlled hunting, and producing action plans to protect endangered species, including the large carnivores: bear, wolverine, lynx and wolf. Management plans are drawn up for some more common species. These are mainly animals that cause some form of damage, mostly cormorants and grey seals.