The Avian Influenza (H5N1 in Wild Birds) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007

PART II N.I. CONFIRMATION OR SUSPICION OF H5N1

Confirmation or suspicion of H5N1 in wild birds N.I.

5.—(1) This regulation applies if the Department is of the opinion that—

(a) the avian influenza virus of the H5 subtype is present in a wild bird or the carcase of a wild bird in Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland; and

(b) either—

(i) it suspects that the neuraminidase type may be N1, or

(ii) the neuraminidase has been confirmed as N1.

(2) If the wild bird or carcase was found in Northern Ireland, the Department must declare—

(a) a wild bird control area; and

(b) a wild bird monitoring area.

(3) If the wild bird or carcase was found in the Republic of Ireland—

(a) subject to sub-paragraphs (b) and (c), the Department may declare a wild bird control area or a wild bird monitoring area;

(b) the Department must, if the wild bird or carcase was found within three kilometres of the border with Northern Ireland, declare a wild bird control area of such size, shape and location as is necessary to complete the wild bird control area centred on the outbreak point in the Republic of Ireland; and

(c) the Department must, if the wild bird or carcase was found within ten kilometres of the border with Northern Ireland, declare a wild bird monitoring area of such size, shape and location as is necessary to complete the monitoring area centred on the outbreak point in the Republic of Ireland.

(4) Paragraphs (2), (3)(b) and (3)(c) do not apply if the Department is satisfied, pursuant to a risk assessment, that—

(a) H5N1 is not present in poultry, other captive birds or wild birds in the area which would otherwise be declared as the wild bird control area or the wild bird monitoring area; and

(b) the infected wild bird or carcase did not present a risk of spreading that virus to such birds in that area.

(5) The risk assessment under paragraph (4) must take into account any geographical and ecological considerations.

(6) An area remains a wild bird control area until—

(a) the Department amends the declaration made under paragraphs (2)(a), (3)(a) or (3)(b) so that the area within its boundaries becomes part of the wild bird monitoring area; or

(b) the Department withdraws the declaration.

(7) An area shall remain a wild bird monitoring area until the Department withdraws the declaration made under paragraph (2)(b), (3)(a) or (3)(c).

(8) Subject to paragraph (9), premises which are only partly in a wild bird control area or a wild bird monitoring area are deemed to be wholly within that area.

(9) Premises which are partly in a wild bird control area and partly in a wild bird monitoring area are deemed to be wholly in the wild bird control area.

(10) Nothing in this regulation or regulation 6 which requires the Department to declare the extent of an area has the effect of requiring the Department to include land in the Republic of Ireland in such a area.

Commencement Information

I1 Reg. 5 in operation at 24.3.2007, see reg. 1

Extent of a wild bird control area and a wild bird monitoring area N.I.

6.—(1) A wild bird control area must—

(a) be centred on the place where the wild bird or carcase referred to in regulation 5(1) was found (“the outbreak point”); and

(b) have a boundary which is at least three kilometres from the outbreak point.

(2) A wild bird monitoring area must—

(a) be centred on the outbreak point; and

(b) have a boundary which is at least ten kilometres from the outbreak point.

(3) The Department must take into account the following factors in deciding the extent of any wild bird control area or wild bird monitoring area—

(a) the geographical features of the proposed area;

(b) any administrative boundaries;

(c) any limnological factors;

(d) any ecological factors;

(e) any epizootic factors;

(f) monitoring facilities; and

(g) any other factor it considers relevant.

(4) Paragraphs (5) and (6) apply if the Department is satisfied, having carried out a risk assessment, that due to natural barriers or the absence of suitable habitats for wild birds, there is sufficient protection of poultry and other captive birds in the area that would otherwise be declared to be the wild bird control area.

(5) The wild bird control area may have a boundary which is at least one kilometre from the outbreak point.

(6) Where the outbreak point is less than one kilometre away from the bank of a river or the shore of a lake or coast, the wild bird control area may be an area of land which—

(a) has a width of one kilometre width from that bank or shore; and

(b) is at least three kilometres in length.

(7) The risk assessment under paragraph (4) must take account of the factors listed in paragraph (3).

(8) If the Department declares a wild bird control area of the dimensions provided for under paragraph (5) or (6), the wild bird monitoring area must be of such size and shape as the Department considers necessary to prevent the spread of avian influenza.

(9) A wild bird control area or a wild bird monitoring area declared under regulation 5(3)(a) must be of such size and shape as the Department considers necessary to prevent the spread of avian influenza.

Commencement Information

I2 Reg. 6 in operation at 24.3.2007, see reg. 1

Wild bird or carcase found within a protection zone or surveillance zone N.I.

7.  If the wild bird or carcase referred to in regulation 5(1) is found within a protection zone or surveillance zone declared under regulation 28(1) to (4) of the Avian Influenza Regulations, the Department must, when declaring a wild bird control area and a wild bird monitoring area, consider, on the basis of a risk assessment, whether the control and monitoring areas should include part or all of the protection or surveillance zone.

Commencement Information

I3 Reg. 7 in operation at 24.3.2007, see reg. 1

Measures applicable in a wild bird control area or a wild bird monitoring area N.I.

8.—(1) The measures in Schedule 1 apply in respect of a wild bird control area including movements from that area.

(2) The measures in Schedule 2 apply in respect of a wild bird monitoring area including movements from that area.

(3) The biosecurity measures in Schedule 3 apply in respect of a wild bird control area and a wild bird monitoring area.

(4) Where the conditions in paragraph (5) are fulfilled, the Department may—

(a) amend the declaration of the wild bird control area so that some or all of the measures listed at Parts I, II, III, IV or Part V paragraphs 1 to 3 of Schedule 1 no longer apply in respect of that area; and

(b) amend the declaration of the wild bird monitoring area so that some or all of the measures listed in Schedule 2 no longer apply in respect of that area.

(5) The conditions are—

(a) a risk assessment indicates that the disapplication of the measure in that wild bird control area or wild bird monitoring area would not endanger disease control;

(b) there has been no outbreak of H5N1 in poultry or other captive birds in either of those areas;

(c) the wild bird control area or wild bird monitoring area has been established for at least 21 days; and

(d) the Department does not suspect there is avian influenza in poultry or other captive birds within either of those areas.

(6) When carrying out a risk assessment under paragraph (5)(a) the Department must take account of the factors listed at regulation 6(3).

(7) Paragraph (4)(b) does not apply in relation to the measures listed at paragraphs 4 and 6 of Schedule 2 where the Department has amended the declaration of a wild bird control area so that it has become part of the wild bird monitoring area before 21 days have elapsed from the date the sample was collected from the wild bird or carcase in accordance with regulation 12(1)(a).

(8) Paragraph (9) applies if—

(a) at the time of its establishment, a wild bird control area or a wild bird monitoring area centred on the same outbreak point overlaps with a surveillance zone declared under regulation 28(1) to (4) of the Avian Influenza Regulations;

(b) that surveillance zone is subsequently ended by a declaration; and

(c) a risk assessment indicates that the disapplication in that wild bird control area of the measure or the regulation referred to in paragraph (9) would not endanger disease control.

(9) The Department may amend the declaration of the wild bird control area so that—

(a) any of the measures listed in Schedule 1; or

(b) regulation 11,

do not apply in respect of that wild bird control area.

Commencement Information

I4 Reg. 8 in operation at 24.3.2007, see reg. 1

Additional measures N.I.

9.—(1) The Department must, in its declaration of a wild bird control area or a wild bird monitoring area, impose such additional measures as it considers necessary to reduce the risk of the spread of avian influenza.

(2) When deciding what measures to impose under paragraph (1), the Department must consider whether measures are necessary to—

(a) prevent direct or indirect contact which wild birds might otherwise have with poultry and other captive birds;

(b) reduce the risk of feed and water provided to poultry and other captive birds being contaminated with the avian influenza virus or with any virus that causes avian influenza; and

(c) reduce the risk of the spread of avian influenza between premises.

(3) The additional measures referred to in paragraph (1) include requirements that—

(a) poultry or other captive birds are housed or otherwise kept separate from wild birds;

(b) poultry or other captive birds or categories of such birds specified in the declaration are housed or otherwise kept separate from other poultry and captive birds;

(c) poultry or other captive birds are provided with feed and water to which wild birds have no access;

(d) keepers of poultry and other captive birds and others who come into contact with such birds cleanse and disinfect their footwear and take such other biosecurity measures as an inspector may require.

Commencement Information

I5 Reg. 9 in operation at 24.3.2007, see reg. 1

Restrictions relating to things moved from Great Britain N.I.

10.—(1) Measures in and under these Regulations applying in respect of any thing moved from a wild bird control area or a wild bird monitoring area apply in respect of any such thing moved from an equivalent area in Great Britain.

(2) Paragraph (1) only applies if the person to whom the measure applies is aware, or should reasonably have been aware, that the thing moved is from such an equivalent area.

Commencement Information

I6 Reg. 10 in operation at 24.3.2007, see reg. 1

Duty to inspect poultry premises N.I.

11.—(1) Subject to regulation 8(9), the Department must ensure that—

(a) premises where poultry are kept within the wild bird control area or the wild bird monitoring area are identified as soon as is reasonably practicable; and

(b) an inspector visits all premises where poultry are kept within the wild bird control area as often as the Department considers necessary to monitor the possible spread of avian influenza.

(2) Every inspector making such a visit must—

(a) carry out a clinical inspection of poultry and any other captive birds that are on the premises and, if he is directed by the Department, collect samples for laboratory examination; and

(b) assess the extent to which the biosecurity measures referred to in Schedule 3 are being applied.

Commencement Information

I7 Reg. 11 in operation at 24.3.2007, see reg. 1

Maintenance of areas N.I.

12.—(1) If the Department is of the opinion that the avian influenza virus of sub-type H5 present in the wild bird or carcase referred to in regulation 5(1)(a) is of neuraminidase N1, it must not—

(a) amend any declaration made under regulation 5 so that the wild bird control area becomes part of the wild bird monitoring area until at least 21 days have elapsed from the date on which the sample showing the presence of the H5 virus was collected from that wild bird or carcase except where the conditions in paragraph (2) are fulfilled; or

(b) withdraw any declaration made under regulation 5 until at least 30 days have elapsed from that date.

(2) The conditions referred to in paragraph (1)(a) are—

(a) the Department has carried out an assessment of the risk of the possible spread of avian influenza, taking into account the factors listed in regulation 6(3), which indicates that the amendment of the declaration would not endanger disease control;

(b) the Department has identified premises where poultry are kept within the wild bird control area in accordance with regulation 11(1)(a); and

(c) an inspector has carried out at least one visit to each of those premises in accordance with regulation 11(1)(b) and the results of any laboratory tests carried out on samples taken from poultry or other captive birds on those premises in accordance with regulation 11(2)(a) have not given rise to the service of a notice under regulation 10(1) of the Avian Influenza Regulations.

(3) Where the Department amends a declaration so that a wild bird control area becomes part of the wild bird monitoring area before 21 days have elapsed from the date referred to in paragraph (1)(a), the declaration of the wild bird monitoring area may also be amended so that the size and shape of that area is varied, provided that the area remains of a size required under regulation 6(5) or (6).

(4) If the Department is of the opinion that the avian influenza virus of sub-type H5 present in the wild bird or carcase referred to in regulation 5(1)(a) is not of neuraminidase N1, it must withdraw any declaration made under regulation 5 without delay.

Commencement Information

I8 Reg. 12 in operation at 24.3.2007, see reg. 1