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Tasmanian Biosecurity Advisories

Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment

Latest Advisories

Subscribing to get DPIPWE’s Biosecurity Advisories is the best way you can keep yourself up-to-date and fully informed about Tasmanian biosecurity issues. Our Advisories cover topics such as changes or proposed changes to Tasmania’s import regulations, animal health and welfare, plant health, forthcoming regulation reviews and opportunities for public comment, new or emerging pest/disease risks and a range of other matters related to Tasmania’s biosecurity.


195 advisories found.
 
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Biosecurity Advisory 5/2019 - Recent detections of Brown marmorated stink bug in Victoria

Recent detections of Browm marmorated stink bug in Victoria.

Brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) (Halyomorpha halys) has recently been found in Melbourne's South East. Agriculture Victoria are responding to these detections. Detections have also occurred at major shipping ports across Australia in recent times.

BMSB is a significant agricultural pest with potential to attack over 300 plant hosts. It is also a nuisance pest, that shelters in large numbers inside homes, other buildings, vehicles, machinery and sheds. It produces a very unpleasant odour when disturbed or squashed.

Whilst BMSB has not been detected in Tasmania, Biosecurity Tasmania is conducting general and targeted surveillance for this exotic pest on imported goods, shipping containers and agricultural machinery and on potential host plants. This includes inspection of cargo, as well as insect trapping and surveillance of likely pathways under the National Plant Health Surveillance Program.

If you think you may have found a brown marmorated stink bug, please call the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline on 1800 084 881

Further information about BMSB can be found in the Brown marmorated stink bug factsheet

(18/2/2019)
Categories: Cropping; Horticulture; Invasive Species; Plant pests;

Biosecurity Advisory 4/2019: Tasmania’s final draft of the Biosecurity Bill 2019 is now available for public comment.

​The final draft of Tasmania’s Biosecurity Bill 2019 is now available for public comment. 

The draft Biosecurity Bill provides a simpler and more effective legal framework for the management of disease, weeds and vermin, imports of plant and animal products, and biosecurity emergencies. 

The new draft Bill will facilitate the sharing of responsibility between Government, industry and the community for biosecurity management. It will retain many of the elements of Tasmania’s existing biosecurity system, but in a modernised and consolidated form.

A draft of the Bill has been provided to key stakeholders and has been published on DPIPWE’s website. For more information, go to: https://dpipwe.tas.gov.au/biosecurity-tasmania/about-biosecurity-tasmania/biosecurity-legislation-review/draft-biosecurity-bill​​

Feedback on the final exposure draft of the Bill can be emailed by 22 February 2019 to biosecuritybill@dpipwe.tas.gov.au​

(31/1/2019)
Categories: Wildlife; Timber imports; Seeds; Policy and Legislation; Plant pests; Plant diseases; Pasture; Natural environment; Marine pests; Livestock; Invasive Species; Horticulture; Gene technology; Freshwater pests; Cropping;

Biosecurity Advisory 3/2019 - Queensland fruit fly Control Area and Infected Area restrictions in northern Tasmania have been lifted

​The Queensland fruit fly (QFF) Control Area and Infected Area restrictions in northern Tasmania have been lifted. The restrictions were put in place in early 2018 following the discovery of QFF in Tasmania.

Northern Tasmania Control Area restrictions lifted

Control Area restrictions were officially lifted at 12.01 am, Wednesday 9 January 2019. This means that normal movement of fruit fly host produce has resumed. 

The valuable local and domestic trade has reopened. Biosecurity Tasmania are working closely with the Australian Government to finalise the technical information each of our trading partners need for international markets to reopen. 

Biosecurity Tasmania will now return to normal fruit fly monitoring and reporting activities on mainland Tasmania, which includes regular checking of the trapping grid across the State as a general surveillance tool.

Restrictions remain for Furneaux Group of Islands​

A single adult male Queensland fruit fly was detected at Lady Barron on Flinders Island during the ongoing surveillance program undertaken by the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment (DPIPWE) late last year

This recent detection of fruit fly has resulted in the continuation of the Control Area restrictions on the Furneaux Group of Islands and the Infected Area restrictions at Lady Barron, until March 2019 - pending no further detections.

The Infected Area restrictions at Trousers Point/Loccota and Badger Corner on Flinders Island have been lifted.

Everyone must continue to obey Tasmania’s strict rules and regulations about not bringing fruit fly host produce into the State. Fines may apply. 

Queensland fruit fly remains an ongoing threat. To retain Tasmania’s Pest Free Area status, everyone is asked to remain on the lookout for any signs of fruit fly and report any suspect produce to Biosecurity Tasmania on 03 6165 3774. ​

Further information is availabvble on the website at: www.dpipwe.tas.gov.au/fruitfly​

(9/1/2019)
Categories: Cropping; Horticulture; Natural environment; Plant pests; Policy and Legislation; Seeds; Plant diseases; Gene technology; Invasive Species; Pasture;

Biosecurity Advisory 2/2019 – Removal from sale of cultivars of Asparagus aethiopicus

Biosecurity Tasmania advises Tasmanian importers and distributors of nursery plants that cultivars of (Plant Biosecurity Manual List A plant species) Asparagus aethiopicus have been detected in outlets, and removed from sale.

Biosecurity Tasmania will be closely monitoring nursery imports for A. aethiopicus cultivars. These will be prevented entry to Tasmania, and removed from sale if found in nurseries.

Plant Biosecurity Manual List A species Asparagus aethiopicus (common names include asparagus fern, ground asparagus, basket asparagus fern, and basket asparagus) has been detected on sale in several retail outlets in Tasmania during 2018. The detected plants were labelled only under trade/cultivar names, without a species name. The plants have been referred to as ‘Asparagus Meyerii’, but could potentially be referred to under a long list of cultivar names, including (but not limited to) Asparagus ‘Myersii’, Asparagus ‘Sprengeri’, and Asparagus ‘Variegata’.

These plants are regarded as cultivars of Asparagus aethiopicus, and were formally declared as weeds in 2017 under the Weed Management Act 1999. Propagation, trade in, and movement of these plants in Tasmania is prohibited. 

Biosecurity Tasmania requests that horticultural plant wholesalers and retailers remain vigilant in ensuring no Asparagus aethiopicus plants are on offer, or in their stock. These plants may be labelled only under their cultivar name so if there is any doubt industry members are asked to please contact Biosecurity Tasmania to have the plants identified.

If you have any questions regarding this matter, please contact Michael Noble, Program Coordinator (Invasive Species), Biosecurity Operations Branch, Phone 03 6478 4128 or email michael.noble@dpipwe.tas.gov.au​

(7/1/2019)
Categories: Horticulture; Natural environment; Policy and Legislation;

Biosecurity Advisory 1/2019 - Public comment invited on proposal to import Rose-crowned conure into Tasmania

​The Wildlife Management Branch of the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment have received a submission for the Rose-crowned conure Pyrrhura rhodocephala species profile for consideration to import into Tasmania. 

Public comments are invited by 9 January 2019.
  
Details of the species profile and risk assessment are available for viewing on the DPIPWE website at:  

For further enquiries on the import proposal please contact:

Wildlife Management Branch
DPIPWE
200 Collins Street 
GPO Box 44
HOBART TAS 7001
Phone: 03 6165 4305
Fax: 03 6173 0253

(3/1/2019)
Categories: Invasive Species; Policy and Legislation; Natural environment; Wildlife;

Biosecurity Advisory 30/2018 - Plant Biosecurity Manual Tasmania (PBMTas): 2019 edition published 19 December 2018

​The 2019 edition of the Plant Biosecurity Manual Tasmania (PBMTas) was published on the Biosecurity Tasmania website (www.dpipwe.tas.gov.au/biosecurity​) on 19 December 2018. The manual will only be published online, and will not be available in hard copy format.

The new edition of the PBMTas includes several changes to important Import Requirements (IR’s). Please note that these changes take legal effect from the date of public release, which is 19 December 2018.
 
The revised conditions and restrictions in this year’s Manual, include but are not limited to:
  • The introduction of new Import Requirements for Tomato Potato Psyllid (IR46), and Citrus Canker (IR31);
  • Revocation of IR25 - Green Snail- Vector Import Controls;
  • Significant amendments to IR1 – Fruit Fly Host Produce – Area Freedom; IR2 – Fruit Fly Host Produce – Disinfestation with Methyl Bromide; IR4 – Fruit Fly Host Produce – Disinfestation of Mango and Papaya with Heat; IR8A – Fruit Fly Host Produce – Post-harvest Treatment with Dimethoate; and IR38 – Nursery Stock;
  • Extensive update to entries in Table 2 Import Requirement Summary Table;
  • Changes in acceptance status of several Interstate Certification Assurances (ICAs) as recognised by Biosecurity Tasmania (see Section 2.18 of the Manual); and
  • Update of Tasmania’s Regulated Quarantine Pest List A & B Pests and Diseases (Appendix 1.1), and Unwanted Quarantine Pests (& Diseases) (Appendix 1.2), including the declaration of.
​In term​s of more recent plant biosecurity ‘quarantine pest’ declaration changes, besides a couple of pest name taxonomic updates, key changes have included new declarations of Citrus Canker as a Regulated Quarantine Pest (RQP), removal of Green Snail as a RQP to an Unwanted Quarantine Pest (UQP), and declaration of Cowpea Mild Mottle Virus and Giant Pine Scale as UQP’s.

The annual update of Tasmania’s Regulated Quarantine Pests (RQPs - Section 12 List A and B plant pests) was also published in the Government Gazette on Wednesday 21 November 2018. A copy of this Gazette can be accessed on the Tasmanian Government Gazette website​.
 
As in previous years the updated RQP List is included in the 2018 edition of the Plant Biosecurity Manual Tasmania (PBMTas) in Appendix 1. As a reminder, a Regulated Quarantine Pest (RQP) is a pest which:
  • poses a significant threat to our primary industries and/or natural environment; and is either not present in Tasmania; or present in the State but is under some form of official control program.

(19/12/2018)
Categories: Cropping; Gene technology; Horticulture; Invasive Species; Natural environment; Pasture; Plant diseases; Plant pests; Policy and Legislation; Seeds; Timber imports; Wildlife; Freshwater pests; Marine pests; Livestock;

Biosecurity Advisory 29/2018 - Single male Queensland fruit fly detected on Flinders Island during ongoing surveillance

​A single adult male Queensland fruit fly has been detected on Flinders Island during the ongoing surveillance program undertaken by Biosecurity Tasmania.

The detection does not affect northern Tasmania. The target date for reinstatement for the Northern Tasmanian Control Area remains 9 January 2019, subject to not detecting any fruit fly in this area.

This recent detection of the adult male fruit fly will extend the control area restrictions on Flinders Island until March 2019 - if there were no further detections.

The male fruit fly was detected at Lady Barron on Flinders Island near a previously infected property. Following the detections on Flinders Island earlier this year there is an ongoing response on the Island and eradication activities will be resumed around the detection site. These activities include property inspections, spot baiting, installation of additional traps, collection of fallen fruit and the implementation of larval surveys consistent with National protocols.

The identification of the fly was made late last week and since its confirmation we have been undertaking response planning and notifying stakeholders in line with established protocols.

Biosecurity Tasmania remains confident that fruit fly can be eradicated from Flinders Island and all of Tasmania and are focussed on this goal.

There have been no further detections in any other areas of Flinders Island, or northern Tasmania. 

Due to the location of the detection, it is believed the detection is of an overwintering fruit fly on the Island. Because of the slightly warmer climate, the possibility of an overwintering fruit fly on Flinders Island has been a scenario Biosecurity Tasmania has been prepared for.

Returning residents and visitors are reminded not to bring host produce onto the Island and obey airport and coastal access point signs and use fruit disposal bins provided when leaving the Control Area. Biosecurity officers and detector dogs will continue their role of checking incoming passengers for fruit on arrival at Launceston airport.

Biosecurity Tasmania asks for the continued support of Flinders Island residents to ensure we eradicate fruit fly from the I​sland and reduce the risk of its further movement. Further information on Queensland fruit fly is available on the Biosecurity Tasmania website: www.dpipwe.tas.gov.au/fruitfly​ 

​Report any fruit fly sightings to the Hotline on 03 6165 3774

(18/12/2018)
Categories: Cropping; Gene technology; Horticulture; Invasive Species; Natural environment; Pasture; Plant diseases; Plant pests; Policy and Legislation; Seeds; Wildlife;

Biosecurity Advisory 28/2018 – Revocation of IR 25: Green Snail – Vector Import Controls

​An Import Risk Analysis (IRA) was conducted in 2018 on the potential threats posed to Tasmania by the green snail (Cantareus apertus). This is part of Biosecurity Tasmania’s plant biosecurity risk analysis program, which identifies and reviews pest risks that may present a threat to the State in association with the daily trade of goods, services and movement of people. The Green Snail Import Risk Analysis is now available on the Biosecurity Tasmania website. 

The risk analysis has resulted in the risk rating of green snail being amended from the status of a List A ‘Regulated Quarantine Pest (RQP)’ (as declared under Section 12 of the Plant Quarantine Act 1997), to that of an ‘Unwanted Quarantine Pest (UQP)’ which better aligns with the biosecurity risk the snail poses to Tasmania. Regulatory action will be taken if green snail is detected in imported goods at the Tasmanian biosecurity border.

Further information on Biosecurity Tasmania’s three tier pest categorisation system can be found on the Biosecurity Tasmania website. 

For more information contact Biosecurity Tasmania on 03 6165 3777 or email: Biosecurity.Tasmania@dpipwe.tas.gov.au​

(21/11/2018)
Categories: Cropping; Gene technology; Horticulture; Invasive Species; Natural environment; Pasture; Plant diseases; Plant pests; Policy and Legislation; Seeds; Wildlife;

Biosecurity Advisory 27/2018 – Amendments to Import Requirement 33 – Hosts of Silverleaf Whitefly and (Bemisia tabaci Gennadius) and Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus

​Amendments to Import Requirement (IR) 33 will come into effect from Wednesday 19 December 2018. The regulatory changes to IR33 were declared in a public notice published on 14 November 2018, following a 30 day public consultation on the draft Import Risk Analysis (IRA) in August 2018.

As a result of a number of incursions of the pest Silverleaf Whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) in recent years, in association with imported poinsettia’s for retail commercial sale over the festive season, it was determined special attention needed to be given to reviewing whether or not IR33 remained fit-for-purpose (as per Biosecurity Advisory 22/2018 which is published on the Tasmanian Biosecurity Advisory website). The final version of the IRA for Silverleaf Whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) is available on the Biosecurity Tasmania website. 

The IRA found that the risk in trade presented by the pest Silverleaf Whitefly (SLW) remains significant and to retain it as a List A Regulated Quarantine Pest of concern to the State. The report also found that another viral pathogen, Tomato Yellow Leaf Curl Virus (TYLCV) which is one of the most significant viral pathogens of tomato in the world today, also remain a List A Regulated Quarantine Pest of concern to the State. Both these pests are not present in Tasmania, as officially supported by Area Freedom Certificate.

This IRA also identified a further viral pathogen that Silverleaf Whitefly can vector called Cowpea Mild Mottle Virus (CPMMV), which is not currently present in Tasmania, and may present some background risk to the State. Though CPMMV is not as serious a threat as that presented by either SLW or TYLCV, it was recommended that the pathogen be declared an ‘Unwanted Quarantine Pest’, under Biosecurity Tasmania’s three tier pest categorisation system. Further information on Biosecurity Tasmania’s three tier pest categorisation system can be found on the Biosecurity Tasmania website​. 

For more information contact Biosecurity Tasmania on 03 6165 3777 or email: Biosecurity.Tasmania@dpipwe,tas.gov.au​

(21/11/2018)
Categories: Cropping; Horticulture; Natural environment; Plant diseases; Plant pests; Policy and Legislation; Pasture; Seeds; Invasive Species;

Biosecurity Advisory 26/2018 - Biosecurity Tasmania has declared Giant Pine Scale to be an Unwanted Quarantine Pest for Tasmania

​Biosecurity Tasmania has declared the sap-sucking coniferous pest, giant pine scale (Marchalina hellenica), to be an ‘Unwanted Quarantine Pest (UQP)’ for Tasmania on 22 October 2018. The regulatory action taken is an interim risk mitigation measure whilst formal risk analysis work is undertaken to establish whether or not this important pest of conifer species such as pine, is a ‘Regulated Quarantine Pest’ of concern to the State under its List A Pests (copy of Tasmania’s existing List A plant pests can be found on the Biosecurity Tasmania website​). The move to list the pest as a UQP, means that if it were detected in imported plant material at the biosecurity border, regulatory action can be immediately undertaken to either treat, re-consign or destroy any plant material identified as being contaminated with the pest.

Survey work undertaken in Tasmania indicates that this significant pest of pines is not present in the State, and the size of the pine forest estate in Tasmania is very large, hence the need to keep it from entering Tasmania and causing economic loss to the industry.


Links which provide further information about, and images of, the pest can be found here:
  
Please stay alert and report to Biosecurity Tasmania any pest on pines in Tasmania that you think might be giant pine scale.

Contact Biosecurity Tasmania on 1300 368 550  or email: Biosecurity.planthealth@dpipwe.tas.gov.au

(23/10/2018)
Categories: Cropping; Horticulture; Natural environment; Policy and Legislation; Plant pests; Plant diseases; Pasture; Seeds; Timber imports;

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