10 May 2021
Who does this notice affect?
This notice is of interest to all vessel masters and shipping agents who represent international commercial and non-commercial vessels for the purposes of Australian biosecurity clearance.
What has changed?
The heightened vessel surveillance window for AGM is between January and May each year. The Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (the department) ceases its annual surveillance for managing the risks posed by the Asian Gypsy Moth (AGM) on vessels arrivals after 31 May 2021.
- After 31 May 2021 the Maritime Arrivals Reporting System (MARS) will no longer send an AGM questionnaire to targeted vessels after submission of mandatory pre-arrival reporting.
- The Maritime National Coordination Centre (MNCC) will continue to risk assess vessels to determine where AGM inspections are to be performed on vessels provided with a questionnaire up until 31 May. i.e. Assessment activities will be finalised after all targeted inspections within the surveillance season have been completed.
- Vessel masters should continue to remain vigilant for exotic insects and report detections to the department.
- The department will advise of 2022 AGM season and AGM vessel inspections in December 2021.
Further information
For vessel arrival reporting and MARS questions, contact the department’s MNCC by email or phone 1300 004 605 (in Australia) or +61 8 8201 6185 (outside Australia).
The department has a range of pest alert brochures to assist vessel masters and crew to identify and detect hitchhiking pests of biosecurity concern, such as AGM.