Northern Ireland’s Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has introduced disease control measures following initial confirmation of avian influenza (bird flu) in samples collected from birds in Co. Down.
The site at Castle Espie, Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT), Stangford Lough, now has a 3km disease control restriction surrounding it as a precautionary measure.
Castle Espie is a wetland reserve managed by the WWT. It boasts the largest collection of ducks, geese and swans in Ireland
All poultry and captive bird in the control area must now be kept in secure housing or otherwise kept separate from wild birds.
Commenting on the current bird flu situation in the UK, Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Edwin Poots said: “To date, there have been over 180 cases of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 across the UK, the first case confirmed in England on October 26, 2021.
“Prior to this the largest number of cases in Great Britain was 26 cases in 2020/2021 and 13 cases in 2016/2017.”
Since October 1, this year, there has already been 28 cases of bird flu in England. October 1, is considered the start of the 2022/2023 bird flu season, putting an end to the 2021/2022 season which is the worst that England and the UK has ever experienced.
“The continual positive findings of H5N1 across Great Britain, and findings through our wild bird surveillance programme, suggest that the disease is already once again present in Northern Ireland,” Poots added.
“It is of paramount importance that all bird keepers take appropriate action to review and enhance their biosecurity measures to protect their birds from this highly infectious disease.”
Chief veterinary officer for Northern Ireland, Robert Huey, added: “All flock keepers must take action now to review and, where necessary, improve biosecurity in order to prevent an incursion of the disease into our poultry flock.
“If avian influenza were to enter our Northern Ireland commercial flock, it would have a significant and devastating impact on our poultry industry, international trade and the wider economy.”
Huey said a rise in cases would have negative financial and emotional impacts on farmers and their families, so “we must do everything we can to avoid this”.
DAERA encourages anyone with their flock not already registered to ensure they do so with the department so that it can reach you directly with future communications and updates.
Avian Influenza is a notifiable disease. Anyone who suspects an animal may be affected by a notifiable disease must, by law, report it to their local DAERA direct office.