Law change to permit sale of Canada geese

Shooting Times

August 10, 2011

Natural England (NE) has suggested that wildlife law may be changed to allow Canada geese to be sold as meat, meaning the bird could soon feature legally on menus in pubs and restaurants.

Thousands of the distinctive non-native geese are killed lawfully every year, but it is against the law to sell the carcases for meat. However, the Government?s wildlife experts have now said that they want to change the bird?s legal status.

Matthew Heydon, NE?s senior wildlife licensing officer, said: ?We have already raised with colleagues in Government that it would make sense to allow Canadas to be sold as a quarry species. We would not wish the birds to be killed for commercial reasons, but there could be interest for us to allow a certain number of sales.

The rest of this article appears in 10th August issue of Shooting Times.