In Girona province, the Catalan government has authorised special permits for farmers and hunters to shoot nutria, also known as coypu, in Alt and Baix Empordà. The measure, announced on 4 June 2026, is intended to control the spread of the invasive species, according to Diari de Girona.
The decision follows the end of a dedicated capture brigade, which stopped operating at the start of the year because its funding came from European sources that are no longer available. The government says the nutria are causing significant damage, and the permits allow their capture using lead-free ammunition.
The authorisation is valid until the end of July, and again from mid-September to the end of October. It is being treated as a pilot programme, and if it works, the Generalitat is considering adding nutria to the list of huntable species next year, TV3 reported.
Nutria are large semi-aquatic rodents native to South America. They can damage riverbanks, irrigation systems and crops, which is why the issue has become a concern for farmers in the Empordà area.
The shift from a specialist brigade to a wider system involving farmers and hunters marks a change in how the invasive population is being managed. The use of lead-free ammunition is part of the environmental conditions attached to the permits.
For more Catalonia-wide local news, see our news coverage.
