Requirements for running game meat butcher

I am running a beef butcher. I want to switch to a game meat butcher. What am I supposed to do to change the nature of business from beef selling to game meat selling?
MM, Simiyu

Game meat selling is highly regulated in order to safeguard against poaching. The compliance requirements for operating a game meat butcher are many compared to the beef selling butcher. The law governing the operation of game meat butcher is the Wildlife Conservation (Game Meat Selling) Regulations, 2020 (GN No. 84 of 2020 as amended by GN No.630 of 2020).

In order to run a game meat butcher, the area where the butcher is intended to be located must be within an area designated by the Minister for Natural Resources and Tourism as a place authorised for establishment of game meat butchers. One cannot run a game meat butcher anywhere one wants like a beef butcher. An individual or a body corporate who desires to own and operate a game meat butcher has to apply for registration to the Director General of Tanzania Wildlife Management Authority by filling the application form prescribed in the First Schedule to the Regulations. The application form should be accompanied by an application fee amounting to TZS 250,000.

For one to be registered as a game meat butcher operator one must submit proof that they are Tanzanian. If the applicant is a body corporate, there must be  proof that at least 51% of the shares is held by a citizen or citizens of Tanzania.  The body corporate has to submit the following to the Director General: certificate of incorporation or registration issued by the Business Registration Licencing Agency; tax clearance certificate issued by TRA; TIN number; MEMARTS or partnership deed.

Apart from obtaining game meat butcher registration certificate which remains valid for 5 years, the operator should also seek and obtain a trophy dealer licence which is renewable annually for her/him to operate as a game meat butcher.

In order to effectively control poaching, the game meat butcher operator must have an EFD machine and must issue his customers with detailed EFD receipts showing the buyer’s name, address and the quantity of game meat he or she purchased. The operator should also maintain a register indicating the name of the game meat buyer and the quantity of meat bought as well as sources of the game meat sold at a particular selling time. The source of game meat can be resident hunting, tourist hunting, wildlife farms, zoos, culling, cropping and problem animal control. Remember it is a very regulated industry and in case you indulge in any related offences, the consequences can be grave.