13 July 2016

Beekeepers must be registered

| Michael Reid
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bees

Canberra beekeepers are now required to register their hives to help the ACT government be better prepared in the event of an outbreak of bee-related disease.

ACT planning and land management minister Mick Gentleman announced the mandatory system at the Jerrabomberra Wetlands in Fyshwick on Monday.

“There is an estimated 500 to 700 beekeepers in the ACT, mainly hobbyists with one to three hives, and it is important we have accurate records to improve biosecurity in the region,” Gentleman said.

“Beekeepers need to be registered so hive owners can be easily identified in the event of a serious bee disease outbreak.”

 

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neanderthalsis8:50 am 24 May 16

Do the bees have to wear collars or ear tags?

pink little birdie said :

bringontheevidence said :

A bee tax?

Now, that would bee a buzz……..

with a sting

This has been a long time coming and I think you will find most responsible beekeepers will agree with the idea. With the increased density of hives in Canberra, the likelihood of diseases such as American Foul Brood (and Varroa when it hits our shores) spreading rapidly between hives has become a point of concern.

There is already a code of practice for ACT beekeepers which covers many of the the basics, but it was always strangely lacking hive registration (that other states require).
http://www.canberrabees.com/Code-of-practice-for-beekeeping-in-residential-areas-of-the-ACT.pdf

Not sure how they calculated the number of beekeepers in the ACT, but this number seems low and really highlights how this kind of registration can provide a better understanding of the beekeepers and the number of established hives in the area.

Acton said :

And yet still no requirement to register cats.

Or cyclists and their bikes.

As a future bee keeper – I looked into this. There is no cost to register and is purely to make sure that they can contain any diseases.

“Registration is free and valid for three years and can be done using the online registration form. Both commercial and non-commercial operators need to register, unless they have already registered in NSW.”

bringontheevidence said :

A bee tax?

Now, that would bee a buzz……..

A bee tax?

And yet still no requirement to register cats.

And, will there be a registration fee? I suspect so.

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