Captive Bird Monitoring Zone put in place following confirmation of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza at Castle Espie, Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust in County Down

Following official laboratory results, 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.

DAERA Minister Edwin Poots stated: “The confirmation of HPAI H5N1 in captive birds at Castle Espie is extremely disappointing. No captive bird site or poultry premises is immune from a potential incursion of this terrible disease, and it is of paramount importance that all bird keepers take appropriate action now to review and enhance their biosecurity measures to protect their birds from this highly infectious disease.”

Chief Veterinary Officer for NI, Dr Robert Huey, added: “Earlier this week I introduced a Temporary Control Zone at Castle Espie after initial test results suggested the presence of notifiable Avian Influenza (AI) in a captive flock. Following confirmation from the National Reference Laboratory that Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), subtype H5N1 has been found, I have taken the decision to introduce further appropriate disease control measures and a 3km Captive Bird Monitoring Zone (CBMZ) has now been put in place around the infected premises.

“I would urge all flock keepers to take action to review and, where necessary, improve biosecurity in order to prevent further incursion of the disease. If Avian Influenza were to enter our Northern Ireland commercial flock, it would have a significant and devastating impact on our poultry industry, international trade, and the wider economy.”

DAERA encourages anyone with their flock (however small) not already registered to ensure they do so with the Department so that we can reach you directly with future communications and updates. You can register by contacting your local DAERA Direct office or online via the DAERA website. You can also sign up to the text alert service simply by texting 'BIRDS' to 67300.

Avian Influenza is a notifiable disease. Anyone who suspects an animal may be affected by a notifiable disease must, by law, report it to their local DAERA Direct Office.