J
john conway
Guest
The following was pasted on to me from the Lake District National Park:-
Environment Agency - Fisheries Function line to take
Foot and Mouth, advice to anglers
The current outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) has important implications for fishing and fisheries in the countryside of England and Wales.
The Government position on countryside access can be summarised by the following statement from the Agriculture Minister Nick Brown:
"Foot and mouth disease poses a potentially very serious risk to livestock farmers across the country. Ministry vets are urgently trying to establish whether the disease exists elsewhere in the country.
"I would like to appeal to the public - particularly in the infected areas - to minimise the risks of spread; for the public this involves reducing contact with livestock and farms; for farmers it means operating the highest standards of hygiene.
"I very much hope that this will apply for the shortest possible period of time and that the outbreak can be contained."
At present, in responding to enquiries, the following points should be clearly articulated:
There are no formal fishing restrictions in place at present, although there is a chance that this may change.
We would encourage all anglers considering going fishing in the countryside to take a common sense approach, and think about the nature of the venue they wish to fish, and to avoid going into farmland with livestock.
If in any doubt at all, we would urge anglers not to venture into the countryside during this outbreak on a voluntary basis.
MAFF have set up a helpline for callers wanting general advice on the recent outbreak of FMD. Telephone: 0845 0504141 (local rate)
Further information is available on the MAFF website: www.maff.gov.uk
Fish do not carry FMD. Rather it is the risk of contamination via anglers boots, equipment, clothing and vehicles, which needs to be guarded against.
A national news release is in preparation and is due to be issued today.
Q. What is Foot and Mouth Disease?
It is a highly infectious viral disease in which fever is followed by the development of vesicles or blisters - chiefly in the mouth or on the feet. There are 7 main types of virus, which produce similar symptoms and which can only be differentiated in the laboratory.
Q. How is it spread?
Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a highly infectious disease that can spread by direct or indirect contact with infected animals. Infected animals begin by excreting the virus a few days before signs of the disease develop. Pigs in particular produce large numbers of virus particles.
Airborne spread of the disease takes place readily. The prevailing meteorological conditions and local topography determine the distance that the disease can travel and this may be considerable. For example, circumstantial evidence strongly suggests that the outbreak on the Isle of White in 1981 resulted from the airborne spread of the of the virus from Brittany in northern France.
The disease is also spread mechanically by the movement of animals, persons, vehicles and other things, which have been contaminated by the virus.
Meat from the carcass of animals infected with FMD at the time of slaughter can transmit the virus. In the past outbreaks of the disease have been linked with the importation of infected meat and meat products.
Stephen Gledhill
Fisheries Communications and Marketing Officer
710 4339
23/02/01 (12:30pm)
Environment Agency - Fisheries Function line to take
Foot and Mouth, advice to anglers
The current outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) has important implications for fishing and fisheries in the countryside of England and Wales.
The Government position on countryside access can be summarised by the following statement from the Agriculture Minister Nick Brown:
"Foot and mouth disease poses a potentially very serious risk to livestock farmers across the country. Ministry vets are urgently trying to establish whether the disease exists elsewhere in the country.
"I would like to appeal to the public - particularly in the infected areas - to minimise the risks of spread; for the public this involves reducing contact with livestock and farms; for farmers it means operating the highest standards of hygiene.
"I very much hope that this will apply for the shortest possible period of time and that the outbreak can be contained."
At present, in responding to enquiries, the following points should be clearly articulated:
There are no formal fishing restrictions in place at present, although there is a chance that this may change.
We would encourage all anglers considering going fishing in the countryside to take a common sense approach, and think about the nature of the venue they wish to fish, and to avoid going into farmland with livestock.
If in any doubt at all, we would urge anglers not to venture into the countryside during this outbreak on a voluntary basis.
MAFF have set up a helpline for callers wanting general advice on the recent outbreak of FMD. Telephone: 0845 0504141 (local rate)
Further information is available on the MAFF website: www.maff.gov.uk
Fish do not carry FMD. Rather it is the risk of contamination via anglers boots, equipment, clothing and vehicles, which needs to be guarded against.
A national news release is in preparation and is due to be issued today.
Q. What is Foot and Mouth Disease?
It is a highly infectious viral disease in which fever is followed by the development of vesicles or blisters - chiefly in the mouth or on the feet. There are 7 main types of virus, which produce similar symptoms and which can only be differentiated in the laboratory.
Q. How is it spread?
Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a highly infectious disease that can spread by direct or indirect contact with infected animals. Infected animals begin by excreting the virus a few days before signs of the disease develop. Pigs in particular produce large numbers of virus particles.
Airborne spread of the disease takes place readily. The prevailing meteorological conditions and local topography determine the distance that the disease can travel and this may be considerable. For example, circumstantial evidence strongly suggests that the outbreak on the Isle of White in 1981 resulted from the airborne spread of the of the virus from Brittany in northern France.
The disease is also spread mechanically by the movement of animals, persons, vehicles and other things, which have been contaminated by the virus.
Meat from the carcass of animals infected with FMD at the time of slaughter can transmit the virus. In the past outbreaks of the disease have been linked with the importation of infected meat and meat products.
Stephen Gledhill
Fisheries Communications and Marketing Officer
710 4339
23/02/01 (12:30pm)
