The Countryside Alliance and the National Game Dealers' Association are urging shoot managers to draw up detailed plans with their game dealers for all wild game shot this season.
A recent game dealers' survey, undertaken by the Countryside Alliance's Game to Eat initiative, showed game dealers sought better communication with shoot managers, so they could more effectively plan for the number of birds that would be shot, and an end to ad hoc arrangements between shoots and game buyers.
Jack Knott from the Game to Eat campaign said: "It is vital in terms of game handling that the game dealer knows the rough number of game that will be shot, the type that will be available and the dates that shooting will take place. The last thing that anyone wants is for a day's shooting to take place when the game dealer or licensed premises is unprepared to handle the meat."
Stephen Crouch, chairman of the National Game Dealers' Association, said: "Please make sure that your wild game is going to the right place. We are asking all shoot managers to take care of their wild game and make sure the game dealer or licensed premise they supply has correct and up-to-date qualifications.
"As soon as the game hits the floor it should be treated as the high quality food product it is, and we should never forget that. For our market to grow we must put a halt to unofficial, and in some small cases illegal, practices and treat our game with the greatest respect."
For more information, contact the Countryside Alliance press office on 0207 840 9220 or email [email protected]
Notes for editors