Biosecurity Matters, Edition 5, 2018

Domestic recreational boat operators who participated in the survey already undertake a range of biofouling management actions on a regular basis. More than 60 per cent were using best-practice approaches, such as regularly cleaning the boat hull and niche areas of the boat, renewing anti-fouling coatings each year and capturing biofouling waste after cleaning. Close to 70 per cent also said they would be likely to capture and dispose of biofouling waste in the future.

The survey did find only a small contingent were cleaning their boats before moving to another location, which is the most effective action in reducing vessel biofouling that domestic boaters can take. However, the majority of respondents were interested in engaging in more biofouling practices and had considerable interest in doing the right thing to protect the environment.

Biofouling is a term for the growth on a boat’s hull that can move invasive plants and animals from one marine environment to another, which poses a serious threat to native biodiversity and can have widespread effects on the economy and ecosystem health.

Australia’s national approach to domestic marine pest biosecurity relies on voluntary uptake of the national biofouling management guidelines by recreational vessel operators, to prevent and manage biofouling growth.

The report was published on the ABARES publications site.

This disease can survive on the surface of an item or within a food product for an extended period of time, which means that items like footwear, clothing and equipment, as well as contaminated food can spread the disease. 

Before you pack to travel to Australia make sure your gear is thoroughly clean, especially if you’ve used it around animals or in a rural area. This also applies to items like camping or hunting equipment.

‘The simple message is make sure your things are clean, and free of soil and other organic materials before you pack your bags. And don’t bring food with you, particularly meat and meat products,’ Dr Schipp said.

Exotic diseases are not something that may be front of mind when shopping online, however, you do need to consider where your items are coming from and whether they will meet our biosecurity requirements when they arrive at Australia’s international mail facility.

‘Now is a good time to also remind friends and family overseas of what they can and can’t mail to Australia, or what they should leave at home if they’re coming to visit.’

You can check what can and cannot come into Australia on the department’s website.

Pig owners also have a critical role in keeping African swine fever out of Australia. You need to protect your pigs from disease, regardless of whether you are a large-scale producer or you keep a pet pig in your backyard.

Dr Schipp said providing pigs with good and safe food plays an important part in keeping them healthy and are part of pig producers’ responsibilities.

‘Pigs must not be fed meat, food containing meat or food which has been in contact with meat. Also, you must not feed your pigs imported dairy products.’

This practice is known as swill feeding, and it is prohibited in all Australian states and territories. It has the potential to introduce serious diseases like African swine fever or foot-and-mouth disease into our livestock.

Swill feeding is believed to have contributed to the recent international spread of African swine fever.

Australia has science-based import conditions in place to manage the risk associated with imported goods. To manage the risk associated with African swine fever, imported pig meat must either be canned or cured under very specific conditions to inactivate the virus, or sourced from countries or zones that are free of the disease.

Dr Schipp said that the department is keeping a close watch on the African swine fever situation overseas.

‘The department is collaborating closely with industry, with a priority focus on keeping Australia’s pig herd free of this devastating disease.’

For more information see our web page on African swine fever.

‘Australia has over 20,000 beekeepers and the honey industry is valued at over $90 million a year. The pollination services bees provide are estimated to be worth $4-6 billion per year.’

‘We are the only continent free of Varroa destructor. To provide assurance that the measures we have in place would allow us to effectively respond to and manage a Varroa incursion, it is important that we put them to the test.’

‘Through the Exercise Bee Prepared workshops, tailored scenarios are being run in each state and territory to help demonstrate our preparedness to detect, contain and manage an incursion.’

To date, over 160 government and honeybee industry representatives have been through the workshops, which have highlighted areas where we are doing well and where potential improvements can be made.

‘It has been a great opportunity to share information and learn from jurisdictions and experts from the honeybee industry, to ensure Australia has the best possible chance to manage a Varroa incursion.’ Dr Ritman said.

The workshops are being delivered by Plant Health Australia and funded by the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources. They are being run in the ACT, New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia.

There are a range of biosecurity requirements, surveillance and response arrangements in place to manage the risk of Varroa mite arriving and establishing in Australia.

This includes the National Bee Pest Surveillance Program, which provides early warning for bee pests and pest bees at ports around Australia.

For more information on the Exercise Bee Prepared.

‘Farmers face huge costs, productivity losses and the spread of diseases at the hands of pests and weeds and keep fighting to stop them in their tracks,’ Minister Littleproud said.

‘The 21 projects target pest animals in particular and will look at new management tools, better strategic decision making as well as community engagement and education.’

‘One project, worth $1.84 million, will look at building a machine to test samples of water to identify traces of pest animal DNA in rapid time out in the field. This technology would help track down pests hiding below the surface like the Asian black-spined toad and red-eared slider turtle.’

‘Another two projects worth a combined $4.2 million will look at how to cost-effectively manage deer by looking at their behaviour and determine their role in the transmission of diseases to livestock. Deer are an emerging threat in Australia and we need to understand their role in spreading diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease.’

‘The Australian Government is contributing $20 million over five years towards CISS ‘

‘CISS is developing a 10-year weeds RD&E investment plan to identify the priority areas in our war against weeds,’ Minister Littleproud said.

Find out more about CISS and its first RD&E portfolio.

In late 2016 the IAHER and its supporting operations manual was tested in Exercise Athena. This exercise highlighted the benefits of the IAHER and provided the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources with an opportunity to improve areas including work health and safety, insurance and financial policies. The department also reviewed processes and procedures for the identification, selection, deployment and repatriation of staff during responses. These improvements were incorporated into the IAHER operations manual, which was endorsed in April 2017.

While exercises are an important part of preparing for a response, nothing provides more hands-on experience than the real thing. In July 2017, New Zealand detected Mycoplasma bovis in cattle on the South Island. This bacterium can cause a range of serious conditions in cattle – including mastitis that doesn’t respond to treatment, pneumonia, arthritis, and late-term abortions. 

New Zealand is working hard to eradicate the bacterium, and in August 2017, approached Australia’s Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr Mark Schipp, to seek assistance through the IAHER.

Shortly after New Zealand’s request, Australia deployed 15 expert staff from the department and the Australian Animal Health Laboratory.

Dr Ian Harradine, one of the department’s plant veterinary officers, was deployed to New Zealand for three weeks where he helped the NZ response team deal with the outbreak near Wellington.

Dr Harradine said that the experience was truly worthwhile.

‘For me personally, it was a highly rewarding and satisfying professional experience, allowing me to fully use my epidemiological skills’.

‘It was a real pleasure working with our New Zealand colleagues and I would recommend anyone with veterinary or epidemiological skills to sign up for the IAHER,’ Dr Harradine said.

You can find out more about the IAHER by emailing the department at IAHER deployment.

‘The new videos are aimed at cruise ship passengers, passengers arriving at our airports, and Australian travellers planning to travel overseas or visitors about to travel to Australia,’ Ms Lane said.

‘Passengers can ensure a smoother transition through biosecurity when they arrive in Australia by declaring all food, plant material and animal products from overseas, including common souvenirs.’

‘Bringing food, plant material or animal products into Australia could put our agricultural industries, environment and economy at risk.’
‘The message is simple: don’t be sorry, just declare it, even if you’re in doubt.’

As well as the new videos, the original Don’t be sorry inflight video—released earlier this year in English, Hindi and Mandarin—has been translated into Arabic, Cantonese, French, Japanese and Korean.

The report profiles 40 plant industries, providing information on the value of the crop, main growing areas and priority pests.

It identifies the greatest exotic pest threats and explains the mechanisms in place, including surveillance and diagnostics, to maintain the pest status of plant industries.

31 case studies highlight facets of the biosecurity system including eradication efforts, surveillance programs, regionalised and priority pests, innovations and events.

This includes aspects of the $200 million investment in improving biosecurity surveillance and analysis through the Australian Government’s Agricultural Competitiveness White Paper to better target critical biosecurity risks and help improve market access for Australian producers. 

‘The report also details 700 scientific projects being undertaken around Australia by researchers and funders seeking to solve challenges affecting plant industries and our unique environment,’ said PHA Executive Director and CEO Greg Fraser.

‘Each project sheds light on some aspect of plant or bee biosecurity that will inform better management of pests, crop production and the environment,’ Mr Fraser said.

Plant Health Australia is the national coordinator of the government-industry partnership for plant biosecurity.

Read or download the report.