The African Horse Sickness Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2013

PART VI AREA CONTROLS

Temporary control zone

16.—(1) This regulation applies where premises are suspect premises or where a veterinary inspector has taken samples under regulation 14(3) from a horse or carcase at a slaughterhouse.

(2) Where the Department considers it necessary to reduce the risk of spread of African horse sickness virus, a temporary control zone may be declared by the Department around the suspect premises or the slaughterhouse (as the case may be).

(3) The temporary control zone shall be of such size as the Department considers necessary having regard to the risk of spread of African horse sickness virus.

(4) Within the temporary control zone no person may move any horse or carcase to or from premises or anything off premises, except under the authority of a licence granted by a veterinary inspector.

(5) If the Department considers it necessary to reduce the risk of spread of African horse sickness virus, the Department may in the declaration of the temporary control zone impose any other measures.

Control zone, protection zone and surveillance zone

17.—(1) This regulation applies where premises are infected premises or where tests under regulation 14 indicate the existence of African horse sickness virus in a horse or carcase at a slaughterhouse.

(2) The Department may declare a control zone and in addition may declare a protection zone or surveillance zone around the infected premises or the slaughterhouse (as the case may be).

(3) The control zone shall have a radius of at least 20 kilometres, the protection zone shall have a radius of at least 100 kilometres and the surveillance zone shall have a radius of at least 150 kilometres, each centred on the part of the premises that the Department considers most appropriate for disease control.

(4) The Department shall ensure that within these zones—

(a) premises that contain horses are identified as soon as practicable.

(b) a veterinary inspector visits in a systematic way all such premises, and—

(i) inspects and as necessary examines the horses; and

(ii) collects and tests such samples as the veterinary inspector considers necessary.

(5) Schedule 1 sets out measures that apply to premises situated in a control zone and Schedule 2 sets out measures that apply in a protection zone and in a surveillance zone.

(6) When the control zone is revoked, the measures in Schedule 1 cease to have effect, except for the purposes of paragraph 1(4)(a) of that Schedule.

(7) The Department may declare that any other measure considered necessary to reduce the risk of the spread of African horse sickness virus, applies in respect of the whole or any part of the control zone, protection zone or surveillance zone.

Infection zones

18.—(1) This regulation applies where a veterinary inspector concludes that African horse sickness virus is likely to be present in a non-captive horse.

(2) The Department may declare an infection zone of such size as the Department considers necessary to reduce the risk of spread of African horse sickness virus.

(3) The Department may declare—

(a) restrictions on the movement of horses into or out of the infection zone;

(b) that any other measure considered necessary to reduce the risk of spread of African horse sickness virus applies in respect of the whole or any part of the infection zone.

Declaration of zones where African horse sickness is suspected or confirmed outside Northern Ireland

19.—(1) This regulation applies where—

(a) the presence of African horse sickness virus is suspected or officially confirmed for the purposes of Council Directive 92/35/EEC laying down rules and measures to combat African horse sickness(1) outside Northern Ireland, and

(b) the Department considers that there is a risk of spread of African horse sickness virus to Northern Ireland.

(2) The Department may declare in Northern Ireland any of the following—

(a) a temporary control zone;

(b) a control zone;

(c) a protection zone;

(d) a surveillance zone;

(e) an infection zone.

(3) Any zone declared under this regulation shall be of such size as the Department considers necessary to reduce the risk of spread of African horse sickness virus.

(4) Regulations 16(4) and (5), 17(5) to (7) and 18(3) apply to any zone declared under this regulation as if it were a zone declared under regulation 16, 17 or 18.

Declaration of zones

20.—(1) A declaration of a zone under these Regulations—

(a) shall be in writing;

(b) shall designate the extent of the zone being declared;

(c) may be amended or revoked by further declaration at any time.

(2) Unless the Department states otherwise in any declaration of a zone, any movement which is prohibited but has already started when such a declaration comes into force may be completed.

(3) Any person on whom a restriction or other measure is imposed by virtue of a declaration under regulation 16(5) or 17(7) shall comply with it.

(4) In deciding to amend or revoke any declaration of a zone, the Department shall have regard to the epidemiological situation and the measures necessary to control the spread of African horse sickness virus.

Premises straddling zones

21.—(1) Premises partly inside and partly outside a temporary control zone declared under regulation 16 or 19 are treated as being inside the temporary control zone.

(2) Premises partly inside and partly outside a control zone declared under regulation 17 or 19 are treated as being inside the control zone.

(3) Premises partly inside and partly outside a protection zone declared under regulation 17 or 19 in an area other than in a control zone are treated as being inside the protection zone.

(4) Premises partly inside a surveillance zone declared under regulation 17 or 19 and partly in an area other than a protection zone are treated as being inside the surveillance zone.

(5) Premises partly inside and partly outside an infection zone declared under regulation 18 or 19 are treated as being inside the infection zone.

Publicity

22.  The Department shall publicise—

(a) the extent of any zone declared under these Regulations;

(b) the nature of the restrictions and requirements relating to the zone; and

(c) the dates of the declaration and ending of that zone.

(1)

O.J. No. 157, 10.6.1992, p. 19