BEE HEALTH STRATEGY
SURVEILLANCE, DIAGNOSIS & BIOSECURITY AND RESEARCH &
DEVELOPMENT SUB-GROUP
3RD MEETING – WEDNESDAY 9TH NOVEMBER 2011, 12:00 at SASA
NOTE OF MEETING
ATTENDEES:
Fiona Highet, SASA (Chair)
Steve Sunderland, SG
Margaret Thomas, BFA Representative
Phil Moss, SBA Representative
Alison Knox, SG
Item 1: Welcome and Introduction
Fiona Highet welcomed the Group to the meeting and thanked everyone for
their attendance.
Item 2: Minutes and Action Points from previous meeting
The minutes of the 2nd Diagnostics etc. Sub-Group meeting held on 9th March
2011 were agreed with the following updates/comments given (n.b. the
following Action Points are taken from the first two meetings):
(i)
Imports – it had previously been noted that the current guidance on
imports was confusing and an easy to understand document was
required. Steve Sunderland reported that the production of a guidance
note was currently underway.
Phil Moss suggested that the publication of an article on the importation
of bees into Scotland in the SBA magazine would be helpful. This was
agreed by the rest of the Group however timing of publication would
need to be confirmed as, on one hand there are specific monthly themes
and on the other, it is time critical as it has been reported that orders for
queens have already been made.
Fiona Highet highlighted an interesting publication by F. Mutinelli entitled
“The spread of pathogens through trade in honey bees and their
products (including queen bees and semen): overview and recent
developments”. The full publication can be accessed at:
http://www.coloss.org/publications/the-spread-of-pathogens-throughtrade-in-honey-bees-and-their-products-including-queen-bees-andsemen-overview-and-recent-developments
See Action Point 1 (progress report)
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(ii)
TRACES – Steve Sunderland reported that the SG had been using the
system throughout the last year. It was noted that further
guidance/education was required to solve problems relating to Scottish
Importers bringing in packages to Scotland via an English Border
Inspection Post (BIP) and then not sending the packaging of the
consignment to the appropriate place (i.e. SASA).
Steve reported that the NBU were considering sending letters to
beekeepers to remind them of their obligations as TRACES didn’t allow
for information on the final destination to be inserted. Further thought
was needed as to whether a separate guidance note should be issued to
Scottish beekeepers to remind them of their obligations.
See Action Point 2 (progress report)
(iii)
Importers and Packers of Honey – Steve reported that
communications were continuing with importers and packers of honey in
Scotland. It was also reported to the Group that approx. 80% of
imported honey contained AFB spores although people may not be
aware of that fact.
The Group were concerned that new AFB outbreaks had occurred near
honey importers and were in agreement that development of a system to
identify whether this was a source of new infection would be useful.
SASA are looking into ways to develop this knowledge and how it could
be funded.
See Action Point 3 (progress report)
(iv)
Domestic Sales of Honey Bees – this has been taken on board with the
EFB Control Plan and no further action is currently required.
(v)
Contingency Plan and Guidance Notes – these documents were
originally written with a hobbyist beekeeper with 3-4 hives in mind rather
than a commercial operation. Therefore work is underway to review and
update the document in time for the start of the 2012 season. In order to
make it more user friendly it was felt that the Contingency Plan and the
Guidance Notes should be split into two documents.
See Action Point 5 (progress report)
(vi)
Cascade System / Specially Qualified Person (SQP) - VMD are
responsible for taking this work forward and it should be noted that
certain beekeeping supply companies are being encouraged to take on
SQP status.
When additional guidance is prepared for beekeepers it must be made
clear what the specific responsibilities are between the Vet and the SQP.
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The Group also suggested that Vet Schools could be approached with
the suggestion that they act as a contact for the Cascade System (using
medicines licensed in other parts of the EU) and also as a useful link to
introduce new vets to bee diseases. It was also noted that Vet Schools
tend to have access to clinics and an approach could be made in the
future to look into the possibility of using these facilities to act as a
holding area for medicines ordered by an SQP.
a. Cascade System – Steve highlighted to the Group that further
information is available from the VMD website and can be accessed at:
http://www.vmd.defra.gov.uk/vet/bee_cascade.aspx.
b. SQP – relevant training and an examination must be passed to qualify
as an SQP (currently it is only AMTRA (Animal Medicines Training
Regulatory Authority) that is an approved registered body to hold the
current SQP register). A query was raised whether the training and
examination could be available at long-distance and this would be
looked into. Further information is again available from the VMD
website.
Action Point 6 (progress report)
Varroa Management – The NBU already produce an excellent Varroa
leaflet (of which an electronic version is readily available on the BeeBase
website). The SG have agreed to make contact with the NBU to look at
the possibility of contributing to a print run of the leaflet and an update on
the situation will be given as soon as possible.
(vii)
See Action Point 7 (progress report)
(viii)
Follow up to this years inspections – will be discussed under Agenda
Item 3 (ii).
(ix)
Sentinel Apiaries – will be discussed under Agenda Item 4.
Item 3: Progress over last 12 months / Priorities and proposals for the coming
year
(i)
European decisions / agreements over the last 12 months and
implications for Scotland –
a) Fiona reported to the Group that 2010 saw the establishment of the EU
Reference Laboratory (EURL) and in February 2011 the EU officially
appointed the Sophia-Antipolis Laboratory of ANSES as the EURL for
honey bee health. ANSES have called for proposals to run a pilot
Surveillance Programme scheme but unfortunately due to a number of
reasons, the SG were not in a position to join in. It is however
anticipated that the EU will look for all Member States to have a
Surveillance Programme in the near future and it would be beneficial
for the SG to make a start on preparations for the anticipated
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mandatory requirements. The SG Programme would involve volunteer
beekeepers selected from those signed up to BeeBase. Inspections
over the last three years have concentrated in the Perthshire area
however this Programme would include all areas of Scotland.
b) Fiona also informed the Group that there was an International
Workshop taking place in Berlin on 13th and 14th December 2011 on
the Consequences of the ECJ Judgment on GM Pollen in Honey for
GM Crop Releases and Cultivation in Germany and the EU.
As background, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) decided in
September 2011 that pollen of genetically modified (GM) plants (GMP)
contained in honey counts as a food ingredient and requires
authorisation. One of the consequences of this “reclassification” is that
honey containing pollen of GMPs now falls within the scope of the
Regulation on GM food and feed. As a consequence, honey
containing GM pollen can be placed on the market only if the GMP in
question has been authorised as food and labeling requirements are
observed. All unauthorised GMPs are subject to the zero tolerance
policy.
(ii)
Report of 2011 Inspections
a) Steve reported to the Group that there had been a team of 10 Bee
Inspectors to call on during 2011 however due to other
responsibilities there were usually around 7 Inspectors per day.
Figures relating to the number of inspections that had taken place
can be found on BeeBase.
b) Inspectors noted that there was an increase in the amount of
Chalkbrood this year.
c) Steve mentioned that a different inspection regime was being
considered for 2012 and would hopefully be introduced to the main
Steering Group in December 2011.
See Action Point 9
(iii)
Bee disease research priorities for Scotland (round table discussion)
a) Fiona reported to the Group that SASA (along with the rest of the
Scottish Government) were working to ‘core functions’ only and any
additional work that the Group would like taken forward would have
to be fully costed and driven forward by Policy colleagues. After a
short discussion it was felt that the priorities should be:
o the Scottish Honey Bee Health Strategy (to include research
on virus status, pyrethroid resistance and testing for resistant
genes – preferably outwith the ‘normal’ area to get a better
idea of the Scottish wide position)
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o Foulbrood (to possibly look at the epidemiology of the
diseases and improve the inspection efficiency as the
number of cases reduces). Fiona went on to show the
Group an example of a hive insert that could easily be used
by beekeepers placing into their hives for 4-6 weeks and
then sending to SASA for examination. A positive spore
finding from the sample could direct Inspectors to colonies at
risk of developing clinical disease. This in turn could help
Bee Inspectors allocate their time more efficiently.
b) Chris Connolly’s research – a short discussion took place
commenting that findings from this research was proving extremely
interesting and that we were seeing Nosema ceranae in places
where varroa hadn’t as yet been found. That would mean either
N.cerana was here before varroa or that cerana is spreading
quicker than varroa. This research is scheduled to take place over
the next few years and the Group would keep updated with
developments.
Item 4: Sentinel apiary risk points
(i)
Fiona provided the Group with a map of Scotland which detailed where
the Sentinel apiary risk points are (this includes sea ports, airports,
honey importers, grocery wholesalers and major transport depots (n.b.
the map still has to be updated with other hive product importers). It
was noted that apiaries near Fruit Markets should be a priority as they
were thought to be prime areas for bugs/pests to have the opportunity to
fly when crates are being opened.
(ii)
Although sites which could become the Sentinel apiaries still have to be
identified it was felt that some initial preparatory work could be done on:
a. Looking at where the risks are (i.e. the map prepared by Fiona)
b. Looking for locations for the sentinel apiaries (initial thoughts included;
o Prestwick (Auchincruive?)
o Edinburgh
o Inverness
o Aberdeen
o Dundee
o Eurocentral
o Livingston
The group recognised that some local BKA had suitably sited apiaries
and it would be useful to utilise these as Sentinel apiaries.
c. Thinking how to get volunteers in each area
(iii)
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The Group suggested that Local Associations would be best placed to
search for volunteers to take part in this exercise and Steve suggested
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that he approach a couple of beefarmers to see if they might also be
interested. Volunteers would be provided with hive inserts which would
be used for onward transmission to SASA for examination.
(iv)
Fiona agreed to arrange the sourcing of the hive inserts whilst Steve and
Phil agreed to look into encouraging beekeepers to take part in this
exercise and confirm the volunteers. Alison would investigate if the SG
Policy Team were able to fund the purchase of the hive inserts.
See Action Point 8 (progress report)
Item 5: Matters arising
(i)
Sterilisation Unit – the Group commented that they hoped the
development of this unit would enable beekeepers from the whole of the
UK to be able to take advantage of the facilities when they became
available.
(ii)
Varroa Mapping – Fiona stated that SASA could help with the varroa
mapping exercise that the SBA are currently conducting and, in the
meantime would put the information of the results that were already held
(including historical data) onto the BeeBase website. Phil Moss
commented that he would take SASA’s information into account and add
to the map that he was producing.
See Action Point 7 (progress report)
Item 6: Any Other Business
a) Date of Next Meeting – arrangements will be made for the next meeting
to take place in March 2012.
ANIMAL HEALTH – DISEASE PREVENTION
THE SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT
17th November 2011
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THE HONEY BEE HEALTH STRATEGY –
SURVEILLANCE, DIAGNOSTICS, BIOSECURITY AND RESEARCH AND
DEVELOPMENT SUB-GROUP
Date/
Action Point
Action
Point
1st Meeting: 13th May 2010
2nd Mtg: 9th March 2011
3rd Mtg: 9th November 2011
1
IMPORTS – produce an easy to
understand one-page document and get
Comms. team to advertise
2
TRACES – look at available information
and how best to use it (possibly give
demonstration at future meeting)
3
Importers and Packers of honey – list to
be drawn up and a strategy made for
communicating bio-security issues to
importers and packers
4
Domestic sales of honey bees –
investigate with BIBBA re: funding
arrangements etc.
5
Contingency Plan and Guidance notes to
be updated
6
Cascade system – training of Scottish
SQPs
7
Varroa Management – request for an easy
to understand management leaflet aimed
at Scottish beekeepers
8
Sentinel Apiaries
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Progress Report
Completed
Alison and Steve – ongoing
+ @ 3rd Mtg: to highlight the
issue in the SBA magazine.
Ongoing + @ at 3rd Mtg:
thought to be given to
producing a note for Scottish
beekeepers to remind them
of obligations
Ongoing – although
importers and packers do
adhere to a voluntary code of
practice + @ 3rd Mtg: SASA
to look at ways to develop
knowledge and how that can
be funded
Gavin Ramsay
Completed –
taken on board
with EFB
control plan
Ongoing + @ 3rd Mtg:
Contingency Plan &
Guidance to be split into two
documents
Ongoing + @ 3rd Mtg: VMD
responsible for this however
long distance
training/examinations would
be looked into.
Ongoing + @ 3rd Mtg: SG to
make contact with NBU re:
contributing to a print run of
the varroa leaflet + Varroa
mapping - SASA to put
information of the results
onto BeeBase
Ongoing + @ 3rd Mtg:
locations to be confirmed
(Fiona); Local Associations
(Phil) and Beefarmers
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9
Revised inspection regime under
consideration for 2012
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(Steve) to be approached re:
taking part in this exercise;
Fiona/Alison to arrange
sourcing/payment of hive
inserts
Steve to work up and
introduce to the Steering
Group in December 2011
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