The UK Invasive Alien Species (Enforcement and Permitting) Order 2019 came into force on Sunday 1st December. The Order implements requirements contained in EU Regulation 1143/2014 on Invasive Alien Species, which sets out rules to prevent and minimise the impact of the introduction and spread of non-native animals and plants across the EU. The Order makes it an offence, amongst other things, to import, keep, sell, transport, breed or release into the environment, any of the listed plants and animals. Invasive alien waterfowl currently covered by this Order are Egyptian Geese Alopochen aegyptiaca and Ruddy Ducks Oxyura jamaicensis.
As we stand now, owners of Egyptian Geese as companion animals, not kept for commercial purposes, may be granted a licence by their licensing authority to keep them until the end of the animals’ natural life, provided the following conditions are met:
• the animals were kept before their inclusion on the Union list;
• the animals are kept in contained holding and all appropriate measures are put in place to ensure that reproduction or escape are not possible.
