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Thread: SBA Hive beetle Any progress?

  1. #11
    Senior Member prakel's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Eric McArthur View Post
    Hi Grizzly
    Eduction in high places - that is the way forward! To this end further to my last post re., a resolution on the banning of imports of honey bees. With the involvement the new thousands of SNP members at the 2015 SNP Spring conference; such a high profile exposure is one step closer.
    Might be a little late. There's probably only four full months from now until the 2015 imports start coming in. At this speed, does anyone who's looking for the ban believe that it'll be in place before the start of next season?

  2. #12

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    [QUOTE=gavin;28431]Eric, I haven't been a member of any political party for about 40 years. Good on you for raising the profile though.

    Never too late!!

  3. #13

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    Quote Originally Posted by prakel View Post
    Might be a little late. There's probably only four full months from now until the 2015 imports start coming in. At this speed, does anyone who's looking for the ban believe that it'll be in place before the start of next season?
    Going down fighting!

  4. #14

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    Quote Originally Posted by Duncan View Post
    .

    I don't think that any one in their right mind would do this anyway and I mean both exporters and importers.
    Hi Duncan
    I am impressed by your optimism!!

  5. #15
    Senior Member fatshark's Avatar
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    Interestingly someone has just posted on the other forum that it would be easy to post a queen in a disguised envelope so there's no point in having a ban if easily circumvented.

    I'm less optimistic than Duncan ...

    I would hope that making something illegal would discourage many from following this course of action. I think we also need far better education at the association level to emphasise the potential problems from imports.

  6. #16
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    Unfortunately fatshark , although association members might decry imports from infected areas -they are not able to introduce legislation to impose a ban - this falls into the remit of the "suits" that occupy the U.K. parliaments. These are the people we have to persuade to take up responsible actions on behalf of us beekeepers.

  7. #17

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    Just "putting a queen in an envelope" without the required health certificate and posting it from one EU country to another IS illegal. The exporter and importer are both acting illegally.

    It is in everyone's best interests that procedures are followed and veterinary checks are carried out when moving bees around the EU.

    A heavy fine, like 50,000 AND the threat of a jail sentence, would go a long way towards discouraging this sort of behaviour.

    Because of EU and international trade agreements, there is not going to be a ban on imports from SHB free areas. National governments are not able to impose a ban - no matter how much lobbying is done at a local level. So any petitions etc are just a waste of time and effort, but probably have a "feel good" side to them.

    It is disturbing that the SHB was discovered right at the end of the active season in Europe. It may even be present already in the UK and elsewhere, but just hasn't been detected yet. The spring of 2015 might be interesting to say the least.

    Where SHB has been detected ALL the hives in the apiary have been burnt. Sad but true and shows just how determined the vets are in their efforts to eradicate it.

    Finally a question for you: Does SHB also attack Bombus nests?
    I looked at the NBU information and it says that Bombus is an alternative host! I can see that it is only a matter of time for it to spread far and wide.
    Last edited by Duncan; 02-12-2014 at 04:19 PM.

  8. #18
    Senior Member fatshark's Avatar
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    I certainly agree that Associations cannot impose a ban. They can a) reduce the demand for imports through education, b) pressurise their MP and MEP's and c) insist that the national beekeeping associations act responsibly in the interests of all UK beekeepers. They have little time to do any of these things ...

    Article 36 of the Lisbon Treaty states that "The provisions of Articles 34 and 35 shall not preclude prohibitions or restrictions on imports, exports or goods in transit justified on grounds of public morality, public policy or public security; the protection of health and life of humans, animals or plants; the protection of national treasures possessing artistic, historic or archaeological value; or the protection of industrial and commercial property. Such prohibitions or restrictions shall not, however, constitute a means of arbitrary discrimination or a disguised restriction on trade between Member States."

    I'm no expert in EU law (actually, I'm whatever is diametrically opposite an expert in EU law and most other laws is called) but I think some of the above might just apply.

    Re.the beetle being here already … I believe the imported packages (to the UK) have already been checked by the NBU. I've no idea what's happening in France and wouldn't be at all surprised if the beetle has been exported there from Italy already. That's why an import ban is more important and potentially effective than an export ban from the known afflicted region.

  9. #19

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    Now there IS a workable idea!!


    "A heavy fine, like 50,000 AND the threat of a jail sentence, would go a long way towards discouraging this sort of behaviour".

  10. #20

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    [QUOTE=fatshark;28437]Interestingly someone has just posted on the other forum that it would be easy to post a queen in a disguised envelope so there's no point in having a ban if easily circumvented.

    What does a stealth envelope look like?

    (I could hire my dogs out to GLA as detectors
    If I put a bee youtube on the TV, the minute they both hear buzzing they are off)

    I find the "everyone will turn into a smuggler" argument quite unlikely

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