25 November 2022
Mandatory housing measures for all kept birds and poultry are to come into force across Northern Ireland (NI) from 12:00 (noon) on Monday 28 November 2022 in a bid to combat the growing threat of avian influenza.
The housing order legally requires all bird keepers, including owners of pet birds, commercial flocks, backyard and hobby flocks, to keep their birds indoors or otherwise separate from wild birds and is part of the Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) in NI.
The AIPZ Declaration in effect from 17 October 2022, will be revoked and replaced with a new AIPZ Declaration, which will include the details and requirements of the mandatory housing measures effective from 28 November 2022. This can be accessed here.
Advice and guidance relating to the housing measures can be accessed here.
The introduction of the mandatory housing measures includes a ban on certain bird gatherings. The bird gatherings General Licence in effect from 1 June 2022, has now been revoked. A new General Licence for bird gatherings that are premitted within the AIPZ is available here.
The full press release can be accessed here.
23 November 2022
The suspect Avian Influenza case notified on Saturday 19 November in County Monaghan, has now been confirmed as Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1.
The Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO) for the Republic of Ireland has introduced the necessary disease control zones. As these zones extend into Northern Ireland, the CVO for Northern Ireland has declared corresponding disease control zones for the area which extends into Northern Ireland (County Fermanagh) from the Republic of Ireland.
Full details and the scope of the measures required within the disease control zones, which apply from 19:00 on 22 November 2022, can be found in the declaration here.
A map detailing the disease control zones can be accessed here.
19 November 2022
A suspect Avian Influenza H5N1 case is currently being investigated in County Monaghan.
As a result of clinical signs and initial laboratory results, the Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO) for the Republic of Ireland (ROI) has taken the decision to depopulate the premises.
The suspect premises in County Monaghan is in close proximity to the confirmed case in a commercial turkey flock in County Monaghan notified Sunday 13 November 2022.
Further details relating to the current investigation at the premises will be provided shortly.
13 November 2022
Avian Influenza H5N1 has been confirmed in the Republic of Ireland at a holding in Clones, County Monaghan, close to the border between County Monaghan and County Fermanagh.
The Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO) for the Republic of Ireland has taken the decision to adopt appropriate disease control measures. This will include the introduction of disease control zones including, a 3km Protection Zone (PZ) and 10km Surveillance Zone (SZ) being established around the infected premises.
As a result the CVO for Northern Ireland has declared corresponding disease control zones for the area which extends into Northern Ireland from the Republic of Ireland.
Full details and the scope of the measures required, which apply from 17:30 on 13 November 2022, can be found in the declaration here.
The full press release can be accessed here.
Further detail can be accessed at the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine website here.
10 November 2022
The Veterinary Risk Assessment has been updated and available here.
Given the current situation, where there has been only one avian influenza detection in captive birds this season and relatively small number of positive wild birds, DAERA is satisfied that the point has not yet been reached at which additional risk mitigation measures are required.
This is being kept under close and careful review. If necessary DAERA will consider additional steps including housing and a ban on gatherings.
For now, the single most important step that can be taken by all bird keepers is to employ the best possible biosecurity to prevent an incursion.
Further information on protecting your birds from an incursion is available here.
17 October 2022
An Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) has been declared across Northern Ireland from 12:00 (noon) on Monday 17 October 2022.
The AIPZ places a legal requirement on all bird keepers in Northern Ireland to follow strict biosecurity measures. This applies if you keep pet birds, commercial flocks or just a few birds in a backyard or hobby flock.
For further information please click here.
To access the Declaration, containing all measures and requirements of the AIPZ please click here.
16 October 2022
Following official laboratory results, confirming that Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 has been found in captive birds at Castle Espie, Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) a 3km Captive Bird Monitoring Zone (CBMZ) has now been put in place around the infected premises, whereby all poultry and captive birds must now be kept in secure housing or otherwise kept separate from wild birds.
The CBMZ is effective from 09:00 on 16 October 2022 and replaces the temporary disease control zone which had been placed around the site on 11 October 2022.
Full details of the scope and measures required within the Captive Bird Monitoring Zone can be viewed here.
12 September 2022
HPAI has been detected in wild sea birds at a number of locations in Northern Ireland. For more information please see link below:
Wild Birds and Advice for the Public | Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (daera-ni.gov.uk)
The Department continues to work closely with colleagues in DEFRA and DAFM to monitor the situation across GB and the ROI.