The announcement by the agricultural minister on Friday of the probable existence of the H5N1 strain of the virus in France has triggered widespread concerns. The Ain is an area of France famed for its production of free range poultry. The Vollaille de Bresse is the only poultry in the world to be awarded an AOC (Appellation d'Origine Controlle) label and is a premium product. More than 1.3 million Volaille de Bresse are produced every year and producers are very concerned.

Nationally France has an enormous aviculture industry producing many millions of ducks, geese and chickens for both home and export markets.

A three kilometer control area has been established around the site at which the wild ducks were found together with a ten kilometer surveillance area. The opening of a near by bird park has been delayed and there are plans to vaccinate all of the birds there.

All birds throughout France whether commercially or privately owned must be confined. This includes all production birds, all farmed game birds, farm yard birds and companion birds. Where confinement is impossible, equivalent measures will be taken.

Free ranging goose and duck farms on the Atlantic Coast will be vaccinated according to EU regulations as they are deemed to be high risk and the birds cannot be confined.

All congregations of birds, in particular markets, sales exhibitions and competitions are prohibited throughout France.

Wild Bird surveillance is to be increased and all farmyard birds are to be declared and catalogued.

Birds held on zoological and Ornithological collections will be vaccinated where ever they are exposed to domestic fowl or wild birds.

Effectively this means that all birds must be confined. All bird owners are required to declare them selves to the authorities. This is addition to the existing requirements for egg producers and game farmers to make declarations. Where confinement is not possible a veterinary inspection is required before 1st April.

Confinement requires that birds are isolated from any contact with wild birds. This requires that netting keeps small birds, such as sparrows, out of the enclosure. It also requires a solid roof so that there can be no faecal contamination from wild birds. The only other alternative is that the birds are eaten, but this is not very practical when large numbers are involved.

Certain high risk areas and farms in France are subject to monthly veterinary inspections. The object of these visits is to

Establish the absence of any clinical signs of avian influenza

Inform farmers as to what to look out for and how to report suspicious signs

Make appropriate biosecurity recommendations to ensure the protection of feeding and watering sites.

Ensure that no surface water is used to clean buildings or equipment.

Ensure that exterior drinking sites cannot be accessed by wild birds

And ensure that all pigeons (and certain other birds) are vaccinated against Newcastle Disease.

A written report is sent after every inspection. In addition to this all wild bird deaths are now reported to the Government with particular emphasis on the reporting of all swan deaths. Special care is given to safeguard human health when handling cadavers, including the wearing of gloves and a face mask. All bodies are placed in sealed plastic bags before they are transported for analysis.

It should be pointed out that these are the measures that are being taken in France and that different countries will have different ideas as to how to control Avian Influenza.