News item | 11-30-2022 | 5:26 pm
The Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (LNV) considers it important that the clearing of dead wild birds with bird flu is organized throughout the Netherlands. Clearing up birds with bird flu is especially important in places where people and pets can come into contact with the birds. A national working group on ‘bird flu in wild birds’ will be set up for this purpose. Experts, experts by experience and those involved from all over the country are invited to this working group with the aim of stimulating and facilitating the regional coordination of the approach.
Minister Piet Adema: “The current bird flu situation also has major consequences for wild birds in nature. It is also important that the cadavers of dead wild birds are removed as well as possible where possible. At the moment it is not always clear who is responsible for this. In my opinion, it is important that there is regional coordination, as there is in Fryslân.”
The safety region of Fryslân is a good example for the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality of how the disposal of wild bird carcasses with bird flu can be organized regionally in a structural manner. This direction does not always have to lie with a security region, provinces or municipalities can also take over that direction. The national working group will ensure that this is taken up as much as possible throughout the country and will also further develop and optimize the national guideline that LNV published today.
No legal obligation
There is no legal obligation for site owners to clear up dead wild birds and LNV also wants to leave room for local customization where it is or is not desirable in nature areas. In some areas, clearing is not possible or the impact of clearing is too great for disturbing animals. The Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality sees it as its responsibility to ensure that the clearing of wild bird carcasses proceeds as smoothly as possible by supporting and facilitating executive persons or bodies where possible. These implementing local parties are generally better equipped to carry out or coordinate these tasks; they know the area and the local situation. The ministry wants to respect local agreements and the way things are arranged locally. It is important that in these agreements and considerations, tailored to the specific situation, it is clear who removes the cadavers and how the disposal of carcasses is arranged.
New app for reporting dead birds
There will also be one central point for reporting dead wild birds. The Wetterskip Fryslân has already developed an avian flu application (app) for registering reports of dead wild birds. This app will be made available to all provinces by the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality. The launch of the app is expected in early 2023. The guide will then be adjusted with guidelines for using this app. Work is also being done on a single national telephone number for reporting dead wild birds.