The Department of Agriculture and Water Resources is establishing a Marine Pest Network to enable interested members of the public, scientists, industry and government to work together to improve Australia’s marine pest biosecurity.
The Network will help us address the recommendations of the 2015 Review of National Marine Pest Biosecurity.
The aims of the Network are to:
- facilitate gathering and sharing of information to better identify, assess, communicate and manage the risks of marine pests
- identify and promote priority research through the Australian Marine Pest Research Network
- provide an avenue for involvement in resolving issues
- support a nationally consistent approach to marine pest surveillance.
If you would like to receive future updates on the Marine Pest Network, please email us.
Current activities of the Network
We’re seeking to better understand the needs of stakeholders in Australia’s marine pest biosecurity and are focussing the Network’s immediate activities into a few key areas.
This will help us ensure the Network improves Australia’s marine biosecurity system.
To have your say, or to register your interest in future discussions about these activities, please email us.
Network’s online and social media presence
We’re investigating the Network’s online and social media presence to identify how best to communicate and collaborate on marine pest issues that affect you.
Australian Marine Pest Research Network
We’re formalising the Australia Marine Pest Research Network to help focus resources towards delivering nationally significant science outputs.
The Research Network will produce a biennial report that will identify key research gaps and report on nationally significant research.
The Research Network will improve collaboration on marine biosecurity research, by providing a peer review function and coordination for nationally significant research. If you’re undertaking research, we can help to identify potential collaborators, existing tools, and considerations that may improve the research’s national significance. If you’re interested in getting involved, please email us.
Develop an offshore petroleum standard
We’re identifying ways to make marine biosecurity requirements clearer and more consistent across jurisdictions for organisations and vessels operating in the offshore petroleum sector.
Clarifying how to conduct safe in-water cleaning
Australia has anti-fouling and in-water cleaning guidelines that provide advice on best-practice approaches for the application, maintenance, and removal of anti-fouling coatings and in-water cleaning of biofouling on vessels and movable structures.
The Network will contribute to a review of the effectiveness and uptake of the guidelines, which aims to be completed in 2018 and give practical advice about how to undertake safe and approved in-water cleaning of vessels in Australia.
Future work
In future, we will be expanding the Network’s involvement to other marine biosecurity issues.
This will align with implementation of MarinePestPlan 2017-2022: Australia’s National Strategic Plan for Marine Pest Biosecurity, being developed by the Marine Pest Sectoral Committee.
Get involved
To let us know what you want from the Network, issues you would like to see addressed, or register your interest in a topic, please email us.