Aim to Sustain is calling on all shoot managers and gamekeepers who plan to catch-up gamebirds this season to continue to observe a 21-day standstill period before moving caught-up birds to another location.
The 21-day standstill, or quarantine period, was included in the restrictions imposed by Avian Influenza Prevention Zones (AIPZs) that were introduced across the UK in November 2022 and were subsequently lifted in early summer this year.
Spike Butcher, Aim to Sustain’s operations director, said:
“While the risk of avian influenza has decreased in captive and wild birds and AIPZs are no longer in place, the risk has not gone away. Aim to Sustain partners are calling on those who plan to catch-up to continue to observe the 21-day standstill period and to make it an accepted best practice routine.”
To assist people catching up birds this year, Aim to Sustain has produced updated guidance which can be found here.