The Plenary Session of the Consell has approved, at the proposal of the Department of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, an emergency declaration for carrying out the search and destruction of Asian hornet or Vespa velutina nests and the training of personnel in affected areas. for an amount of 200,000 euros.
This measure will be carried out through a public company through an emergency contract to apply the 'Emergency action plan for the presence of the Asian hornet in the north of the province of Castellón'.
This plan consists of the early location and elimination of the species' nests in the area around the initial detection area (Más de Segura, Vallibona) and other outbreaks such as Culla and those detected with the collaboration of the population especially beekeepers and trapping.
Through the plan, a trapping network is also established in the north of the province of Castellón and other affected areas with a view to locating new populations of the species.
Among the objectives of this document is to stop the expansion of the species to new territories and, in collaboration with beekeepers and farmers, study measures to mitigate its negative impacts on beehive activity and ecosystems.
The plan establishes a monitoring program for the species to improve knowledge of its dispersion and acclimatization in the affected area, with the aim of adjusting control actions within the framework of adaptive management, so that the most effective measures are adopted. at all times while minimizing negative impacts on non-target species.
To achieve these objectives, the Departments of Justice and Interior will participate; Agriculture, Livestock and Fishing and Environment, Water, Infrastructure and Territory, while they will be in charge of coordinating the execution of the plan. Likewise, work teams and the necessary material means will be hired by emergency means to face all the planned measures.
Thus, as a matter of urgency, a device consisting of several teams will be launched to locate Asian hornet nests in the initial detection environment, using tracking, baiting and worker monitoring methodologies. The purpose of this action is to eliminate the nests prior to the dispersal of founding queens, which takes place at the beginning of autumn.
In addition, work will be done on locating new specimens of the Asian hornet by installing trapping in the municipality of Vallibona and municipalities in the regions of Els Ports and Baix Maestrat and Vall d`Alba and collaborating with beekeepers with hives located in the province of Castellón to check their hive settlements and report the presence or absence of the Asian hornet.
Training courses will be scheduled for beekeepers, farmers and all those who may have risky contact with this species, as well as the municipal and regional administrations competent in managing this problem.
Awareness actions will be implemented for the general population, such as information posters and telephone contact lines for warnings and coordination between the competent departments through the creation of monitoring commissions and working groups for the adoption of measures to reduce the risk of spread. of the Vespa velutina, the protection of beekeeping and agriculture and the protection of people.
The Asian hornet, a specialized predator of honey bees, was detected in the north of Castellón on September 2. This species also affects agriculture such as the flower, especially raspberries in greenhouses and the consumption of fruits (strawberries, grapes, apples...).
