In New Zealand, all beekeepers and the location of their
hives must be registered in accordance with the
Biosecurity (National American Foulbrood Pest Management Strategy) Order
1998. A national register of
beekeepers is maintained by
AsureQuality, a government owned commercial company – http://www.asurequality.com. The Apiary Register is part of New Zealand’s
strategy to eliminate American Foul Brood (AFB) in managed bee colonies. There is no cost to register hives, but an
AFB Biosecurity Levy based on the number of apiaries and hives held by the
beekeeper must be paid each year. In
addition, each beekeeper must complete an Annual Disease Return (ADR). A separate annual Certificate of Inspection
(COI) showing that each hive was inspected for AFB by an approved person must
also be completed and returned. See
http://www.afb.org.nz/ for further details.
To register as a beekeeper, register an apiary or change
your details on the Apiary Register, please contact the Apiary Registrar
Before acquiring a hive, please give some thought as to
where on you are going to place it. Bees and people have existed side-by-side
for thousands of years and our Club has many members who keep a hive or two at
home in their back garden. Some district
councils in New Zealand have bylaws that prohibit urban beekeeping or require
urban beekeepers to apply for a council permit before they acquire hives. We are fortunate that neither Christchurch
City Council, Selwyn District Council nor Waimakariri District Council have
specific bylaws that prohibit or control urban beekeeping in this way. However, your local council may take action
if complaints of nuisance are made by neighbours regarding bees. This action might include asking the
beekeeper to:
- erect a high fence so that that the bees are forced to fly upwards when they leave the garden
- move the hive to a different part of the section
- remove the hive to another location completely
Many of our members report that their neighbours had no idea
that they kept bees at home until they presented them with a jar of honey. Bees are a tremendous asset to any
neighbourhood, but we do ask members to be responsible and consider their
neighbours if they intend to keep bees on a residential section. If you have any doubts about whether your
garden is a suitable location for bees, contact the Club and ask for advice. Better still, join us: our wealth of
experience and expertise means that new beekeepers will receive lots of
encouragement, advice and support.
The Christchurch Hobbyist Beekeeper’s Club also encourages
its members to complete an AFB recognition training course. Beekeepers who successfully complete the
course and pass the qualifying exam are eligible to enter into a Disease
Elimination Conformity Agreement – known as a DECA. The DECA is an agreement between the
beekeeper and the Management Agency and sets out the standards and practices that
the beekeeper will follow and maintain.
While not a legal requirement, holding a DECA is clear sign that you are
a responsible and well-informed beekeeper.
