Hunting inspectors of the State Forest Service, in cooperation with state environmental inspectors of the Nature Conservation Agency, have uncovered illegal hunting in which sound recordings of bird calls were used to attract waterfowl.
The illegal hunt was organized in the early morning of October 1, 2025, in a public body of water – Lake Liepāja, and involved foreign hunters. During the inspection, the sound device was confiscated, and three administrative offense proceedings were initiated for illegal hunting.
The State Forest Service reminds that in Latvia it is prohibited to hunt using sound recordings for attraction. It is also prohibited to use semi-automatic firearms in waterfowl hunting that can be loaded with more than three cartridges. Hunters are encouraged to once again familiarize themselves with the list of prohibited hunting equipment, tools, methods, and techniques specified in Section 24 of the Hunting Law, and to remind hunters who have received a foreigner’s permit to hunt in the territory of Latvia about these restrictions as well.
Hunters are also encouraged to review the huntable waterfowl species specified in Clauses 3.2.11 and 3.2.12 of the Hunting Regulations, as well as the procedures for identifying these species, for example by using the online resource https://www.nomeditie.org/
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The State Forest Service is a direct administration authority under the supervision of the Minister of Agriculture, which oversees compliance with regulatory enactments governing forest management, hunting, and nature protection, and also implements forest fire protection. The Service maintains the State Forest Register, which compiles information on forests, economic activities carried out therein, hunting, and game animals. The mission of the State Forest Service is to ensure the responsible use and preservation of forests for future generations.
Source: vmd.gov.lv