In an open-access paper published this week, four biologists, one of whom is also a hunter, propose that as well as banning the use of lead ammunition for shooting game there should also be a legal Maximum Level (ML) set for lead in game meat. This seems entirely sensible since there is a ML for lead for meat from domestic mammals and birds, and a few other taxa. So if a pork chop cannot be sold with high lead levels then how is it remotely sensible for a Pheasant which, by a hunter’s choice, was shot with lead ammunition, and is likely to have very high lead levels, maybe on average ten times higher than a pork chop could legally have, to be legally sold? It just doesn’t make sense does it?
Do you remember the EU; it was a club of nations of which we used to be a member? If the EU imposed such a ML then it would cut off exports of lead-shot game from the UK to the EU and affect behaviour in this country. Let’s hope they do it! Of course, now that we have taken back control of our own destiny we can do it ourselves and prevent any nasty lead-loaded game crossing into our food chain – I’m sure it’s top of the government’s list of things to do.
This is a belt and braces approach to cleaning up food chains, both human and ecological ones, and is hardly extreme – the extreme position is that despite the evidence to warrant it, the authorities have not extended legislation to apply to game meat already. It’s about as sensible as having a law against drunkenness but deciding that it didn’t apply to people driving cars!
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This would obviously require far more testing of shot game than is currently conducted. Some might say the current testing levels are so little that why do they bother.