Northern Ireland’s Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) has lifted the Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) and ban on poultry gatherings starting June 1.
Northern Ireland implemented the AIPZ on November 17, 2021, soon after Great Britain did on November 5 after a confirmed case at the end of October.
“This season of avian influenza has been the worst ever outbreak in Northern Ireland and across Great Britain,” said Agriculture Minister Edwin Poots. “Thanks to the determined efforts from the poultry sector in Northern Ireland to protect their flocks and minimize the impact of disease, we are now in a position to lift the AIPZ and reduce all mandatory restrictions placed on bird keepers as well as allow poultry gatherings from 1 June.”
According the DAERA, AIPZ restrictions include:
- Cleaning and disinfecting clothing, footwear, equipment and vehicles before and after contact with poultry and captive birds,
- Reducing the movement of people, vehicles or equipment to and from areas where poultry and captive birds are kept,
- Using effective vermin control,
- Cleaning and disinfecting housing on a continuous basis,
- Keeping fresh disinfectant at the right concentration at all farm and poultry housing entry and exit points
- And minimizing direct and indirect contact between poultry and captive birds and wild birds, including making sure all feed and water is not accessible to wild birds.
While the restrictions and gathering ban will be lifted, the DAERA still encourages poultry producers to follow biosecurity measures.
“Although all mandatory restrictions have now been lifted, the biosecurity requirements set out for the AIPZ should still be considered good practice. We are urging all bird keepers, whether they have a few birds or thousands, to adhere to the guidance as much as is practically possible,” Poots said. “We do not want to lose the progress that we have made over the past few months as low risk certainly does not mean no risk.”
Read our ongoing coverage of the global avian influenza outbreak.
