An Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) has been introduced in Northern Ireland from 12.00 noon on Saturday 18 January 2025, Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir has confirmed.
The decision to introduce the AIPZ in Northern Ireland comes following confirmation on Wednesday 15 January 2025 of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 in a sample collected from a wild goose found near Black Lough, Dungannon, County Tyrone.
This is the first wild bird positive in Northern Ireland since September 2023. In addition, on Friday 17 January 2025 two further wild birds have tested positive for HPAI H5N1. One was a buzzard found near Moira and the other a whooper swan in Portballintrae.
The AIPZ places a legal requirement on all bird keepers in Northern Ireland to follow strict biosecurity measures. This applies if you keep pet birds, commercial flocks or just a few birds in a backyard or hobby flock.
Announcing the introduction of the AIPZ, Minister Muir said:
“With the detection of the first cases of notifiable avian influenza in Northern Ireland since September 2023, all flock keepers should take immediate action on biosecurity and good farm practice to reduce the risk of incursion of avian influenza into the Northern Ireland poultry flock.
“Due to the first positive detections of HPAI in wild birds in NI since September 2023, I have decided to implement an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone across Northern Ireland from 12:00 (noon) on Saturday 18 January 2025.”
“Northern Ireland relies heavily on the agri-food industry as a source of employment. Poultry and egg production contributes significantly to the economy, and is valued at over £600 million, it is vital that we protect this industry.”
Chief Veterinary Officer for Northern Ireland, Mr Brian Dooher, added:
“The measures in the Avian Influenza Prevention Zone include stringent, mandatory biosecurity measures to help prevent the spread of the disease from wild birds or another source to poultry; a requirement that poultry or other captive birds are provided with food and water to which wild birds have no access, and mandatory rules on cleansing and disinfection.
“There is currently no requirement for poultry to be housed and bird gatherings are not prohibited at this stage, but this will be kept under constant review.
“I would encourage all flock keepers, even if you keep just one bird, to improve biosecurity in order to prevent an incursion of the disease into our poultry flock. If Avian Influenza were to enter our Northern Ireland flock, it would have a significant and devastating impact on our poultry industry, international trade and the wider economy.”
If not already registered, DAERA encourages you to register your flock (however small) 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 OPT IN' to 07860 098672.
Avian Influenza is a notifiable disease. Anyone who suspects an animal may be affected by a notifiable disease must report it to their local Divisional Veterinary Office. Contact details can be found here.
A copy of the Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) declaration is available here.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has advised that there is a very low risk to public health from the consumption of properly cooked poultry meat or eggs provided appropriate hygiene measures are followed.
The Public Health Agency has said that avian influenza is primarily a disease of birds and the risk to the general public’s health is very low. For more information, please visit the PHA website here.
All poultry and other birds must be registered with DAERA. The application form is available here.
More information about Avian Influenza - including biosecurity guidance - is available here.
Members of the public are encouraged to report findings of dead waterfowl (swans, geese or ducks) or other dead wild birds, such as gulls or birds of prey, using the DAERA Dead Wild Bird Online Reporting Tool here.
Texts sent to 07860 098672 may be charged at your standard mobile network rate. There is no charge to receive text messages from this service. If you wish to be removed from this service, please text BIRDS OPT OUT to stop getting text messages.