DEFRA MEETING

ACE LOFTS · July 31, 2006

Hi all does any 1 no what the result was of 2days meeting

July 31, 2006

WHAT MEETING WAS THIS ?

Pompey Mick · July 31, 2006

Looking at the DEFRA site it would seem we have reverted back to the British Isles only permit with the Channel Isles once again excluded. I would have hoped that we could have convinced DEFRA that banning racing from the Channel Isles serves no logical purpose in the transmitting of this disease, even more so when the only case we have had in the British Isles was washed up in Scotland. France has declared itself AI free so where is the problem? I think this siege mentallity with the Channel as a moat goes back to WW2. If you read DEFRA's own risk assessment for AI in Parks & Open Spaces it makes you wonder what the problem is, I am sure we could have used this risk assessment to help our own cause.

THE FIFER · July 31, 2006

YES IT'S BACK TO UK ONLY FROM END JULY, THIS WAS AS ALWAYS, RPRA GM TRYING TO GET OVER TO ONE OF THE ISLANS SO WE CAN GET OVER THE WATER BUT FRANCE IS OUT AGAIN. ITS DUE TO MIGRATING TIME AGAIN WITH SOME BIRDS.

PIGEON_MAN · July 31, 2006

WHAT DO OTHERS MEMBERS ON HERE THINK,WILL WE HAVE THIS PROBLEM EVERY SEASON NOW OR DO YOU THINK IT WILL EVER GET BACK TO NORMAL,PERSONALLY I CAN SEE THIS HAPPENING FOR A FEW YEARS.EVERYBODY ELSE SEEMS TO THINK THAT THERE IS NO PROBLEM BUT NOT DEFRA AND I GUESS IT,S THEM WHO CALL THE SHOTS NO MATTER WHAT ANYBODY TELLS THEM.

jimmy white · August 1, 2006

personally i would think if things went smoth and no more outbreaks[a big if] we would be ok ,,trying to look on the brightside,,its a long time to next year

ACE LOFTS · August 1, 2006

i think pigeon man is right it is going to be around for a year or 2, u could just imagine it now the racing is nearly come to an end this case isnt going to b open till next march i say and then back to square 1

swilcox · August 1, 2006

Sorry lads but i dont think its really a problem not having channel flying with young birds. At least this way if there is a serious outbreak when the autumn migration comes along the fingers cant be pointed at pigeon racing.

Young bird channel racing often does result in huge losses so i think we may have to except that on this occasion its the sensible ting to do!

Stuart

PIGEON_MAN · August 1, 2006

PERSONELLY I,M NOT TO WORRIED ABOUT NOT HAVING CHANNEL RACING FOR THE YOUNGSTERS AS OUR FED DOESN,T FLY THE CHANNEL ANYWAY IN THE Y.B.PROGRAMME ALLTHOUGH I LIKE TO SEND IN THE YOUNG BIRD NATIONAL,S OVER THE WATER,I WAS THINKING MORE ON WHAT PEOPLE THOUGHT ABOUT NEXT YEAR WEATHER OR NOT FANCIER,S THOUGHT WE WOULD HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS AS THIS SEASON.

Henrik · August 1, 2006

think this is the right decision cos as S Wilcox says if anything happens they cant blame us. As for next year we will just have to wait and see what happens and where the outbreaks occur if any do.

Roland · August 1, 2006

I think that they are / need to be seen by Joe Public what is right and responcible in THEIR eyes.

After all it is in August when the Migrations start again in ernest, and we will NO doubt be centre of attraction. FOR there is a very good chance that Avian Flu WILL strike us a few times this year. Either way they have covered their A**e's and being in the game of Politics, if this is the course cthey have chosen, who could realistically expect much different

August 1, 2006

We have only a single year's experience of Avian Flu in Europe.

The first wave, Autumn migration, starts in August, but it was Oct / Nov 05 before the problems started and then it was confined to Romania and Turkey, spread by birds going out of China, through Russia Romania and Turkey, heading for winter quarters in Africa.

The second wave, Spring breeding, started late in the old year (05) with birds which had intermingled in Africa with diseased birds from China, heading back to their breeding grounds in Eastern & Western Europe. Turkey and Romania were again first hit [Jan 06] then countries throughout Western and Northern Europe as far west as France and Denmark, from February right up to April.

Avian flu won't go away. Right now, despite not one bird ever having been implicated in the spread of the disease, restrictions have been placed on racing pigeons. Yet there are records that show pigeons in avian flu areas have been tested and found not to be carrying the virus - inside or outside the bird.

The current restrictions by implication mean that pigeons are seen as a risk of spreading the disease. That is unfair, given the records that show they don't. It also places all of us in a very uncomfortable position in our neighbours and the general public's eyes: they see us keeping birds that might carry bird flu.

Well we keep birds that dont carry or spread bird flu. Time for setting the record straight. Sitting on your thumbs and hoping for the best next year ain't an option.

Roland · August 1, 2006

Well personally I seldom if ever race y/b's. If I did I'd go North. Rd as I'd get a lot further distance. Makes no difference, as far as I see, switching them when and as I feel when they are older.

But I'd like to say that if I was really interesting in the South Rd ... then again I'd prefer East, I'd reckon that now is the time to sort out NEXT season's old birds agenda. Never mind fighting a lost cause in regards y/b's racing for this season, Time is now be asking DAFRA for the same rights and privileges as most of our fellow member states of the European counter parts! This NOW! instead of next May / June time!

PIGEON_MAN · August 1, 2006

Well we keep birds that dont carry or spread bird flu. Time for setting the record straight.
THING IS BRUNO WE KNOW THAT,ALL THE EXPERT,S TELL US THAT,ALL THE EVIDENCE CONFERMS IT ALSO,AND I SHOULD THINK THAT DEFRA KNOWS IT BY NOW,BUT THEY STILL PUT A BAN ON CHANNEL RACING NO MATTER WHAT THEY KNOW SO WHAT HOPE HAVE WE GOT.

August 1, 2006

Don't want to confuse issues.

Setting the record straight that our birds have no role in the spread of bird flu is our single most important goal. A strong scientific case can achieve it. If it needs to pressed home in court it will be well worth it, because it gives the sport a clean bill of health and clears the pigeon of a public health concern too. Agree the time to start is now.

If that case is won, then routes and race points again become merely a personal choice that members can vote in or out as they please at AGMs.

PIGEON_MAN · August 1, 2006

Setting the record straight that our birds have no role in the spread of bird flu is our single most important goal. A strong scientific case can achieve it.
I TAKE IT THEN BRUNO THAT YOU DONT THINK THIS AS ALLREADY BEEN DONE BY OUR PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD MEETINGS WITH DEFRA.