Legislation on the NSII

Three acts of parliament govern the activities of the Natural Science Institute of Iceland:

Act No. 54/2024 (in Icelandic) on the Natural Science Institute and Nature Research Centres.
Act No. 64/1994 (in Icelandic) on the protection, conservation and hunting of birds and wild mammals
Act No. 60/2013 (in Icelandic) on nature conservation in Iceland

The Natural Science Institute of Iceland (NSII) operates under Act No. 54/2024. Article 3 of Act No. 54/2024 defines the role of the NSII and its main tasks.

Act No. 60/2013 contains numerous clauses on the role of the NSII in nature conservation:

To manage documentation of natural heritage sites and assessment of their conservation value,
To maintain Part C of the Nature Conservation Register (Náttúruminjaskrá) and make recommendations on new sites for inclusion, and
To make recommendations on natural heritage sites for inclusion in the strategic plan of the Nature Conservation Register (Part B).

The NSII is responsible for monitoring as per the provisions of the legislation. The NSII organises monitoring, provides reports in accordance with legislation (e.g., in connection with nature protection), handles education and instruction, and advises the minister on nature conservation issues.

Under Article 4 of Act No. 64/1994, the NSII is responsible for studying wild birds and mammals in Iceland and providing advice on the condition and sustainable harvest of populations that are hunted. The NSII alone has the authority to mark wild birds in Iceland. Anyone who finds or captures a marked bird is required to send it the NSII, along with more detailed information on the find.

The provisions of various other acts define specific aspects of the NSII’s functions and operations. Many of these provisions impose extensive obligations on the NSII in an advisory role.