According to the French Office for Biodiversity, since May 11 and the discovery of around forty dead gulls on the beach of Saint-Quentin-en-Tourmont, 96 dead birds were found in the area of the Baie de Somme nature reserve. Mainly gulls but also gulls and terns. The analyzes revealed that several of them were positive for avian flu. The Somme prefecture issued a decree on Friday to set up “a temporary control zone”.
Movement of poultry prohibited
To limit the transmission of the virus and its spread to livestock, the municipalities of Saint-Quentin-en-Tourmont, Crotoy, Fort-Mahon-Plage and Quendincluding the public maritime domain under the right of these municipalities, will be subject to enhanced surveillance for at least 21 days.
Specific measures applicable in the “temporary control zone”:
- All poultry, including backyard poultry, and any other captive birds must be kept permanently inside buildings or under a net ;
- No live poultry and captive birds should be taken out of farms, commercial or non-commercial. From derogations will be possibleafter approval from the Departmental Directorate for the Protection of Populations (DDPP) of the Somme, mainly in the context of a direct transfer to a slaughterhouse;
- The movement of people, pets and vehicles within farms (commercial or not) must be limited to what is strictly necessary;
- The direct sale at the farm of slaughtered poultry and its products is prohibited. Farmers can, however, pursue their commercial activity by selling directly to consumers in local open-air markets;
- During the maintenance period of this ZCT, increased monitoring of the avifauna will be carried out;
- Finally, it is asked toavoid contact with wild birds
This measure may be lifted “if no suggestive sign of avian influenza is detected in the farms and if no new case occurs in wildlife”indicates the prefecture.
Anyone who discovers dead birds is invited to report it to the Somme Hunters Federation (03 22 82 90 90) or atFrench Office for Biodiversity (03 22 24 51 63).