Permission sought for Hebridean guga hunt to take place this year

Permission has been sought for a traditional hunt of young seabirds to take place on an uninhabited Hebridean island later this summer.

For centuries, gannets have been killed for their meat during an annual hunt on Sula Sgeir, a small rocky island 40 miles (64km) north of Ness on Lewis in the Western Isles.

Public body NatureScot issues licences for the hunts and is assessing the latest application.

The organisation’s board will be asked to note that this process is under way at a meeting later. It will make a decision on the licence at a future date.

The practice, called a guga hunt and dating back to the 15th Century, usually takes place in August.

Animal rights campaigners oppose the hunt and say it is no longer needed to provide food for islanders.