Spain’s ASF control measures deemed insufficient by scientific committee

SPAIN – Spain’s scientific committee advising on African swine fever (ASF) management has raised concerns that current containment measures remain inadequate and that all autonomous regions should prepare for possible disease spread.

In its June monitoring report, the committee said preventive actions led by regional authorities had not been implemented with sufficient intensity, noting that an average of 363 wild boars were being hunted weekly, compared with a target of 800.

The experts acknowledged that authorities had made substantial efforts and removed a significant number of wild boars, but said overall progress remained below containment requirements.

They also noted that while case numbers may be declining, it remains unclear whether this reflects genuine containment or surveillance gaps.

Calls for tighter surveillance and expanded control zones

The committee recommended strengthening physical barriers, increasing disease surveillance, intensifying efforts to reduce wild boar populations, and improving carcass removal systems.

It further advised limiting the movement of people and farm pigs within affected zones to reduce transmission risk.

A key proposal was to create a low- or zero-density “white zone” around infected areas through coordinated wildlife management and stricter extraction targets by region.

The report also called for broader carcass-search operations beyond immediate outbreak zones, including river corridors and habitats suitable for wild boar movement, as well as municipality-level monitoring targets.

Government response and ongoing operations

Spain’s Department of Agriculture said it is managing the outbreak in line with expert guidance and European animal health regulations, stressing coordination across national and regional agencies.

Authorities reported that more than 45,000 personnel have been deployed since the outbreak began, with nearly 7,000 wild boars removed in restricted zones and over 26,000 in surrounding areas.

Despite these efforts, the committee said the target of 800 wild boars per week is unlikely to be realistic under current conditions and should be recalibrated based on updated population data.

It also urged continued biosecurity enforcement on pig farms and stricter handling of animal carcasses to limit further spread of the virus.

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