The sale of wild geese was stopped after World War Two when the netting of the birds threatened their extinction.

But control of the geese population was introduced earlier this year by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) to protect crops, as part of the Orkney Resident Greylag Goose Project.

It became legal to sell goose meat between 1 August and 31 October, a period which has now been extended until Brexit.

Licences allow for the sale of resident greylag goose meat in Scotland to consumers and retailers.

Claudia Rowse, SNH’s head of natural resource management said: “We are delighted to announce the continued sale of resident greylag goose meat. Now, licensed sellers from Orkney will have a chance to develop the market for their product and people can try goose for themselves, on Orkney, and across Scotland.

“Wild geese are an important part of Scotland’s nature, but their rapid rise in numbers has been challenging for farmers and crofters. We know that striking the balance between conservation, farming and hunting can be difficult.

“Our goal is to give farmers and crofters the tools they need to safeguard their crops, allowing them to control goose numbers sustainably and sell goose meat for profit.”

SNH is seeking a review to secure a long-term arrangement for the sale of the meat in Scotland.

The sale of wild goose meat that does not come within the ambit of the project is illegal under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.