A PREVENTION zone looks set to stay in place in parts of Dorset to tackle the spread of bird flu, but the Abbotsbury Swannery is set to open for the summer season as planned.

The prevention zone for bird flu is currently in place across the UK until February 28 when the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs anticipates lifting the ban and adopting a more “targeted approach” with mandatory biosecurity measures.

At present, keepers of poultry and other captive birds are required to keep them inside or take appropriate steps to keep them separate and protect them from wild birds.

However, part of the new targeted approach will see continued mandatory housing or range netting in higher risk areas.

Higher risk areas have been designated for part of South and West Dorset, including Portland, Weymouth and Abbotsbury.

Another higher risk area has been set for around Dorchester heading west to Poole. Higher risk areas have been designated as those close to substantial inland or coastal bodies of water and where significant numbers of wild birds collect Earlier this year nine cases of avian influenza were confirmed in swans at the Abbotsbury Swannery.

Abbotsbury Tourism general manager John Houston has confirmed that the swannery will reopen as planned on 18 March.

DEFRA has seen the risk as too great to remove the compulsory housing or total netting procedures.

These areas look set to be reviewed at the end of April.

A final decision on the prevention zones and higher risk areas will be confirmed at the end of February.

Chief veterinary officer, Nigel Gibbens, said that DEFRA will continue to do everything it can to reduce the risk from the disease.

He added that effective disease control will always be the priority and mandatory biosecurity and targeted housing or range netting in higher risk areas is the best option.