Summary

Currently EU legislation prohibits “wild bird hunting” within 10 km of a case of HPAI discovered in wild birds. The same prohibition does not apply to outbreaks in domestic poultry.

EU legislation in detail

For outbreaks in wild birds

The protection measures laid down in Commission Decision 2006/115/EC require that affected Member States shall establish around the area where the presence of HPAI - H5N1 is either suspected or confirmed in wild birds :

(a) a protection zone with a radius of at least 3 km, and
(b) a surveillance zone with a radius of at least 10 km (including the protection zone ).

The measures to be applied in the protection zone (a) include:

active disease monitoring in the population of wild birds, in particular water fowl, if necessary with the co-operation of hunters and bird-watchers who have been specifically instructed on measures to protect themselves from infection with the virus and to prevent the spread of the virus to susceptible animals;

Activities that are to be prohibited include:

•  the dispatch from the zone of fresh meat , minced meat, meat preparations and meat products from poultry and other captive birds and wild feathered game ;

•  the hunting of wild birds.

in the surveillance zone (b), the hunting of wild birds is also prohibited.

For outbreaks in domestic poultry

In case of a (suspected) outbreak of H5N1 in domestic poultry , a similar 3 km protection zone and 10 km surveillance zone around the outbreak are to be established, with specific measures – such as the culling of infected birds on the holding and of birds on neighbouring holdings suspected of infection, the confinement of poultry indoors, but without a hunting ban .

Duration of the measures

The new Avian Influenza Directive 2005/94/EC, adopted by Council in December 2005, allows Member States to carry out not only emergency vaccination (as the old legislation did), but also preventive vaccination against avian flu. Both emergency and preventive vaccination must be based on a risk assessment carried out by national authorities. Approval for AI vaccination will be based on vaccination plans that Member States must submit to the Commission. Although the new Avian Influenza Directive does not have to be implemented by Member States until July 31 2007, it entered into force in February 2006. Therefore vaccination plans can already be submitted to the Commission for approval.
A recent draft Commission Decision, 5th April 2006, brings the rules on vaccinating zoo birds into line with the new Avian Influenza Directive, replacing the previous Decision 2005/74/EC of last October. The main change being that any Member State wishing to vaccinate zoo birds must first submit a vaccination plan to the Commission for approval.

Safety measures for handling dead birds

Advice for wild birds found dead
If you find:
• 1 or more dead wild swans, ducks or geese
• 3 or more dead wild birds of the same species
• 5 or more of different species in the same place
you should not touch or move the birds but contact the governmental body responsible for dealing with AI.

Advice for birds killed through hunting
Hunters handling freshly killed wild birds are advised to wear rubber or disposable latex gloves while cleaning and preparing game, wash hands with soap and water, and thoroughly clean knives, equipment and surfaces that come in contact with feathered game.

Use of decoy birds

The use of live decoy birds for hunting was prohibited by Commission Decision 2005/745/CE (amending 2005/734/EC), in territories identified by Member States to be at risk of the introduction of AI.
However they may be used under the strict supervision of the competent authority for the attraction of wild birds intended for sampling in the framework of surveillance programmes. This point was reiterated by Commission Decision 2006/574/EC, namely that the use of decoy birds may be authorised under derogation, by decoy bird holders registered with the competent authority for such surveillance programmes.
In addition to this, the use of live decoy birds is also possible in accordance with appropriate biosecurity measures, including:
• identification of the individual decoy birds by a ringing system,
• implementation of a specific surveillance system for decoy birds,
• the recording and reporting of the health status of decoy birds and laboratory testing for avian influenza in the case of deaths of such birds and at the end of the bird-hunting season,
• strict separation between decoy birds and domestic poultry/captive birds,
• cleaning and disinfection of the means of transport and equipment,
• restrictions and control of movements of decoy birds.

For more details, here is the Commission decision.