Defra today announced that it is lifting the ban on bird gatherings, shows and pigeon racing which has been in place since confirmation of avian influenza in Suffolk on 12 November. This decision is based on expert consideration of surveillance and tracing results.
As a precautionary measure, the ban will remain in place within the Restricted, Surveillance and Protection Zones in Suffolk and Norfolk. Birds from those zones will not be able to be taken to gatherings in the rest of the country.
Bird gatherings must take place under the normal biosecurity, notification and record-keeping requirements of a general licence, which can be found on the Defra website at http://www.defra.gov.uk
Further information
Further information on avian influenza can be found on the Defra website at: http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/notifiable/disease/ai/index.htm
The general licence for bird gatherings has now been re-issued and is available on the Defra website. This covers falconry displays, fairs, markets, shows, exhibitions and pigeon races. 'Gathering' for the purposes of this licence means the arrangement by a person of the collecting together of poultry or other captive birds from different epidemiological groups at one location.
