The Generalitat has decided to reinforce the control measures for African swine fever (ASF) with new human, technological, and logistical resources, with the aim of intensifying surveillance, early detection, biosecurity, and on-the-ground response capacity. According to a statement released after Tuesday's Executive Council, the investment will exceed 2 million euros.
The emergency contracts are justified by the need to have specialized personnel and resources "immediately available" to implement the actions outlined in the ASF Contingency Plan and to meet the requirements arising from Resolution ARP/709/2026, of March 12, which declared a new outbreak of ASF.
Among the planned measures, the implementation of a comprehensive night surveillance service using unmanned aerial systems stands out, designed to collaborate with the Rural Agents in the Barcelona area.
This system improves the location and tracking of wild boars in particularly sensitive areas, such as the surroundings of Collserola. The contract, awarded to the company Vig-Sec-Drone SL, amounts to 243,780.64 euros.
The operation is also reinforced with new equipment for wildlife monitoring, including the supply of specific cameras and locks for tracking animals in their natural habitat.
This material contributes to optimizing early detection, data collection on wildlife movements, and understanding the evolution of the outbreak. The contract has been formalized with the company Serrallo Moret SL for an amount of 41,466.70 euros.
Another of the priority lines of action is the expansion of the wild boar carcass removal and transport service, in order to minimize the possibilities of virus spread. This service has been contracted with the Secretariat of Federations and Groups for Forest Defense of Catalonia (Sfadf) for a maximum amount of 1,658,839.81 euros.