Declarations
Avian Influenza Declarations - This page will be updated in the event of a disease outbreak as and when disease control zones are declared.
14 May 2026
The Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) in force across Northern Ireland and the ban on poultry gatherings will be lifted at 00:01 on Friday 15 May 2026.
A DAERA Press Release on this announcement is available to view here.
All poultry and bird gatherings will be permitted from Friday 15 May 2026, provided organisers comply with the provisions of the updated General Licence for bird gatherings.
7 May 2026
The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) has approved and published a UK self-declaration of the recovery of freedom from infection with high pathogenicity avian influenza viruses (HPAI) in poultry for the zone of Northern Ireland.
The declaration can be viewed on the published self-declarations section of the WOAH website here.
A .pdf version of the declaration is available to download here.
DAERA will work closely with Defra Market Access colleagues in the coming days to understand the immediate impact on export certification.
Should you have any export queries please contact:
DAERATradeExports@daera-ni.gov.uk
29 April 2026
DAERA Minister Andrew Muir has announced that the compulsory housing measures for poultry and captive birds will be lifted across Northern Ireland from 00:01 on Tuesday 5 May 2026.
The ban on the gatherings of galliforme (including pheasants, partridge, quail, chickens, turkey, guinea fowl), anseriforme (including ducks, geese, swans) and poultry will remain in place as part of the Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) which places a legal requirement on all bird keepers in Northern Ireland to follow strict biosecurity measures.
An updated AIPZ Declaration will be available to view here.
A DAERA Press Release on this announcement is available to view here.
02 April 2026
Following the conclusion of veterinary surveillance activities, the Surveillance Zone (SZ) put in place around commercial poultry premises near Omagh, County Tyrone, will be lifted.
This is effective from Tuesday 07 April 2026 at 17:00hrs.
The Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) for the whole of NI remains in place, which means it is a legal requirement for all poultry and other captive birds to be housed or otherwise kept separate from wild birds. As part of the AIPZ, bird keepers must follow strict biosecurity measures in order to mitigate against disease incursion.
A ban on the gatherings of galliforme (including pheasants, partridge, quail, chickens, turkey, guinea fowl), anseriforme (including ducks, geese, swans) and poultry is also in force.
For more details follow the below link
Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) | Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
29 March 2026
Following the successful completion of surveillance activities around a commercial poultry premises near Omagh, County Tyrone, the 3km Protection Zone (PZ) put in place will merge with the 10km Surveillance Zone (SZ).
This is effective from 17:00 on Sunday 29 March 2026.
All the measures that must be adhered to within the SZ can be accessed on the Disease Control Zone Declarations page.
11 March 2026
Following the receipt of official laboratory confirmation by the National Reference Laboratory, Weybridge, England, the Chief Veterinary Officer for Northern Ireland has confirmed that Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 is present in a commercial poultry premises near Omagh, County Tyrone.
As a result, the Temporary Control Zones (TCZs) that were put in place, effective from 17:00 on 04 March 2026 have now been revoked and replaced by 3km Protection Zones (PZs) and 10km Surveillance Zones (SZs) around each infected premises.
These are effective from 17:00 on 11 March 2026. All measures that must be adhered to within the PZ and SZ can be accessed on the Disease Control Zone Declarations page.
04 March 2026
Following preliminary positive results for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza H5N1, a Temporary Control Zone (TCZ) has been established around a poultry premises near Omagh, County Tyrone. This is effective from 17:00 hours today.
The Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO) for Northern Ireland (NI), Brian Dooher, has taken the decision based on a number of factors including the clinical signs and preliminary results provided by the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI).
The CVO has, therefore, taken the decision, as a precautionary measure, to apply appropriate disease control measures, including the humane culling of all poultry on the site to mitigate for onward disease spread.
The TCZ comprises a 3km TCZ-A and a 10km TCZ-B. The TCZ declaration which details all the measures that must be adhered to within the 3km and 10km zones can be accessed on the Disease Control Zone Declarations page.
The Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) for the whole of NI remains in place, which means it is a legal requirement for all poultry and other captive birds to be housed or otherwise kept separate from wild birds. As part of the AIPZ, bird keepers must follow strict biosecurity measures in order to mitigate against disease incursion.
A ban on the gatherings of galliforme (including pheasants, partridge, quail, chickens, turkey, guinea fowl), anseriforme (including ducks, geese, swans) and poultry is also in force.
For more details follow the below link
Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) | Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
13 February 2026
The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) has approved and published a UK self-declaration of the recovery of freedom from infection with high pathogenicity avian influenza viruses (HPAI) in poultry for the zone of Northern Ireland (NI).
The declaration can be viewed on the published self-declarations section of the WOAH website at the link below.
Self-declared Disease Status - World Organisation for Animal Health
A .PDF copy of the declaration can be accessed here.
While this is welcome news we must not become complacent. Optimum levels of biosecurity should be adhered to as best practice, to protect our poultry flocks from this deadly disease.
Declarations and Avian Influenza Map Viewer
In the event of a disease outbreak, full details of the scope and measures required within any of the declared zones can be viewed in the published declarations, which will be available to view here.
The Avian Influenza Map Viewer can be accessed here.