Cervids: Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) - The Ministère is continuing its efforts to prevent CWD from becoming established in Québec and wishes to inform the general public of the measures in place for 2023

QUÉBEC, Sept. 13, 2023 /CNW/ - The Ministère de l'Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs is continuing its enhanced surveillance of chronic wasting disease among cervids in the sector surrounding the deer farm in the Laurentides region at which cases were detected in 2018. The regulations requiring the collection of samples and limiting the transportation of certain anatomical parts of cervid carcasses remain in force in some sections of the Laurentides, Outaouais and Montérégie regions in 2023 (see the areas in which CWD measures apply on the map below).

Hunters who kill white-tailed deer (adults or fawns) within a 45-km radius of the farm at which CWD was detected in 2018 must register their kill at one of the designated stations within that radius. Station contact information and opening hours can be found here: Liste des stations d'enregistrement. Online registration is not permitted for this game species.

Hunters who kill a white-tailed deer or moose aged 12 months or older within the 45-km radius must have the carcass analyzed for CWD. To do this, they must go in person to one of the designated registration stations within the 45-km radius, where the Ministère's personnel will take the required samples.

Elsewhere in the province, the Ministère continues its partnerships with certain butchers to carry out analyses of white-tailed deer killed by hunters.

The analysis results can be accessed online at Québec.ca/cervidsdisease.

Certain parts (including the head and spine) of white-tailed deer, moose and farmed cervids killed within 45 km of the farm at which CWD was detected in 2018 must remain within the 45-km radius and within the hunting zone in which the animal was killed. Consequently, carcasses must always be registered, cut up or stuffed within the 45-km radius and inside the hunting zone in which the animal was killed. These transportation restrictions are designed to prevent the disease from potentially spreading to other sectors of Québec if it is present in the wild population.

CWD surveillance in 2022 in the enhanced surveillance area (ESA) met the goals set by the Ministère. In all, 769 white-tailed deer and 28 moose were analyzed in the sector, thanks to the collaboration of hunters. No positive cases were found. These results are encouraging, because they suggest that if the disease is present in the wild population, it has affected very few animals and can therefore still be eliminated.

Elsewhere in the province, 4,555 white-tailed deer and 13 moose were also analyzed through partnerships with butchers. All the results were negative.

For more detailed information, please see the 2022 report on CWD surveillance and control operations.

Lastly, the Ministère encourages hunters to practise their activity responsibly, in compliance with the regulations and safety rules. It also reminds hunters that they must obtain the landowner's permission to hunt on private land.

• CWD is a degenerative disease of the central nervous system that is always fatal for affected animals. It affects cervids, including white-tailed deer and moose, which are the main big game species hunted in Québec.
• The Québec government is actively involved in the fight against CWD, and has established a surveillance network for animals in the wild. No cases of CWD have been found among the wild cervids analyzed to date.
• CWD is not, as yet, considered to be transmissible to humans. However, Health Canada recommends that any parts of infected animals should not be consumed or used.

• For information on surveillance and control operations for chronic wasting disease.
• For information on white-tailed deer hunting periods and rules, and on transportation restrictions applicable to certain parts of deer carcasses, please see the Web page on white-tailed deer hunting.

SOURCE Ministère de l'Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs