Notes from MPSC for the period January 2017 – October 2017 
                                                                                                                 
         Notes from the Chair - MPSC13                           MPSC High Priority Work Items 
         The Marine Pest Sectoral Committee (MPSC) held          In the first half of 2017, MPSC progressed the 
         its thirteenth partner’s workshop and committee         following high priority work items: 
         meeting in Canberra on 7-8 June 2017.                    
                                                                 National Strategic Plan for Marine Pest 
         As Chair, I extend my thanks to MPSC members,           Biosecurity: MarinePestPlan 2017-2022 
         observers, partners, stakeholders and all who           The National Marine Pest Strategy Task Group 
         participated in the MPSC13 workshop and                 met in February 2017 to consider comments 
         meeting.                                                submitted by MPSC members and stakeholders 
                                                                 on the MarinePestPlan 2017-2022.  
         The Partner’s Workshop provided an opportunity           
         for industry representatives to discuss and             As part of the development of MarinePestPlan 
         contribute to MarinePestPlan 2017-2022, which           2017-2022 the Task Group has consulted with a 
         has been developed as part of the National              wide range of stakeholders.  
         Marine Pest Biosecurity Strategy. The workshop           
         also facilitated two-way dialogue on a range of         At the MPSC13 Partners Workshop the plan was 
         marine pest topics including biofouling, the            further discussed, with MPSC partners providing 
         development of a Marine Pest Network and the            valuable input.  
         Australian Government’s recent ratification of the       
         International Convention for the Control and            The plan has been developed as part of the 
         Management of Ship’s Ballast Water and                  Australian Government’s Review of National 
         Sediments.                                              Marine Pest Biosecurity and was endorsed by 
                                                                 MPSC in October 2017. 
         The Committee Meeting saw the progression of             
         high priority activities including the endorsement      More information on the Review of National  
         of a National Surveillance Strategy Development         Marine Pest Biosecurity can be found at the link: 
         Plan and the formation of a Surveillance Strategy       www.agriculture.gov.au/pests-diseases-
         Task Group to lead this work.                           weeds/marine-pests/review-national-marine-
                                                                 pest-biosecurity. 
         I would like to offer my best wishes to members          
         who have resigned from their roles in MPSC. We          Ballast Water Management Systems 
         thank you for your valuable contributions to the        On the 17 May 2017 an amendment in the 
         committee and wish you the best of luck in the          Biosecurity Act 2015 received Royal Assent. The 
         future.                                                 Biosecurity Amendment (Ballast Water and Other 
                                                                 Measures) Act 2017 will strengthen Australia’s 
         This was my first meeting as Chair, and I would         ability to manage vessel ballast water and was a 
         like to take this opportunity to thank the MPSC         necessary step in the ratification of the 
         members, observers, industry partners and               International Convention for the Control and 
         secretariat for the productive and constructive         Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and 
         MPSC sessions. I look forward to working with all       Sediments (BWM Convention) on 7 June 2017. 
         of you in the future.                                   The BWM Convention came into effect on 8 
                                                                 September 2017.  
         Dr Andrew Sanger                                         
         Chair MPSC13                                            More information on Australia’s ballast water 
                                                                 requirements can be found at the link:  
                                                                 www.agriculture.gov.au/ballast 
          
           
          The Biosecurity Act 2015 enables the use of                 Ballast water reporting for international vessels 
          approved Ballast Water Management Systems                   arriving in Australian ports is managed through 
          (BWMS) as an alternative to ballast water                   the Maritime Arrivals Reporting System (MARS). 
          exchange. Systems that manage ballast water                 MARS provides vessel operators with clear 
          using active substances – such as chemical                  guidance when traveling to Australian seas. More 
          biocides, electric currents, or acids –are approved         information on MARS can be found at the link: 
          by the International Maritime Organization                  www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity/avm/vessel
          (IMO). In June 2016, MPSC established a task                s/mars 
          group to (1) support Australia’s involvement in               
          this approval process, and (2) consider options             Australian Priority Marine Pests List  
          for monitoring and predicting any potential                 Based on consultation with jurisdictional 
          environmental effects of BWMS used in                       representatives and marine pest experts the 
          Australian waters. An initial assessment of the             MPSC Australian Priority List Task Group is 
          possible impacts of BWMS on receiving ports is              finalising the list of species to be included, and 
          currently being undertaken by the Australian                expects to complete this work by early 2018.  
          Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics                
          (ABARES).                                                   The draft list includes both established and exotic 
                                                                      marine pests that have been identified as being of 
           More information on BWMS can be found at the               national significance. ABARES has been engaged 
          link:                                                       by MPSC to assist in the species assessments and 
          www.imo.org/en/OurWork/Environment/Ballas                   publication of the priority pest list.  
          tWaterManagement/Pages/Default.aspx                          
            Ballast Water Management Convention                       National Marine Pest Surveillance and 
               The use of ballast water (to stabilise                Diagnostics Strategy 
                vessels) is an integral part of modern                2017 has seen exciting developments in the 
                shipping as it can improve both                       National Marine Pest Surveillance and Diagnostic 
                maritime safety and fuel efficiency.                  Strategy (Surveillance Strategy) with the 
               Ballast water is a major vector for the               formation of a Surveillance Strategy Task Group 
                spread of marine pests. It is estimated               and endorsement of the Surveillance Strategy 
                that up to 30 per cent of the invasive                Development Plan.  
                marine species in Australia have been                  
                introduced via ships ballast water.                   A workshop was held in September 2017 to 
               Australia has had ballast water                       further develop the Surveillance Strategy and 
                management requirements for                           identify priority surveillance activities. The 
                international ships since 2001.                       Surveillance Strategy will be implemented over 
               The BWM Convention, first adopted by                  the next five years in conjunction with 
                the International Maritime                            MarinePestPlan 2017-2022. 
                Organization in 2004, came into effect                 
                on 8 September 2017 and requires all                  Marina and Slipways Biofouling Guidelines 
                vessels to effectively manage their                   Work to review the biofouling guidelines for the 
                ballast water and sediments.                          marina and slipways sectors is progressing 
               Australia has ratified the BWM                        steadily. Task group membership has recently 
                Convention and requires vessels                       expanded to include members from the marina 
                traveling both internationally and                    and boating industries.  
                domestically to manage their ballast                                                  
                water from 8 September 2017. 
                 
           
   mpsc@agriculture.gov.au         GPO Box 858 Canberra ACT 2601 
          
         Jurisdictional Updates                                  Victoria 
                                                                 Victoria continued to implement domestic ballast 
         Western Australia                                       water regulations with an extension of the sun-
         The Department of Fisheries, WA has been                setting date to 28 May 2017 for the Victorian 
         actively involved in a range of marine biosecurity      Environment Protection (Ships’ Ballast Water) 
         research, compliance, policy and communications         Regulations 2006. Victoria has been working 
         activities. Highlights include:                         collaboratively with the Australian Government 
            Collaborative initiatives through the Global        towards the implementation of the Biosecurity 
             Marine Biosecurity Research Network                 Act 2015 for domestic ballast water, which 
             including ’Innovation Jam’ and development          commenced on 8 September 2017, when the 
             of an international workshop on the use of          Ballast Water Management Convention came into 
             molecular tools in marine pest surveillance.        effect.  
            New legislation Aquatic Resources                    
             Management Act 2016 was passed in                   Victoria is working with the Commonwealth to 
             November 2016. The Act will replace the             communicate transitionary arrangements for 
             current state legislation Fish Resources            management of ballast water pending the 
             Management Act 1994. Part 6 of the new Act          introduction of the Ballast Water Management 
             is devoted to aquatic biosecurity.                  Convention and held a Ballast Water Information 
            An updated version of Vessel Check, WA’s            Workshop in March 2017.  
             online vessel biofouling risk assessment tool        
             was put into production. It is designed to          Marine Pest Biosecurity in Victoria is now led by 
             enable vessel managers to take an active role       the Department of Economic Development, Jobs, 
             in management of biofouling on their vessels,       Transport and Resources (DEDJTR) and MPSC 
             and reduce their risk of moving marine pests        welcomes the new Victorian committee member 
             into and around WA.                                 Dr Andrew Woolnough.  
            WA has implemented the State-wide                    
             Array Surveillance Program (SWASP)                  South Australia 
             which supersedes the previous Early                 South Australia is progressing work in:  
             Warning System (EWS) program at                        Assisting the Department of Agriculture and 
             WA ports from Broome to Esperance                       Water Resources (DAWR) in the development 
             using settlement arrays and                             of ballast water policies.  
             molecular surveillance tools. The                      The development of a South Australian 
             first round of array surveillance has                   Marine Pest Surveillance and Monitoring Plan 
             been completed and a second round                      The development of a fish kill response 
             of arrays were recently deployed.                       training program. 
            Biosecurity WA has extended its external               The development of a Kangaroo Island Marine 
             communications with the introduction of                 Pest Response Plan to outline the approach to 
             Facebook and Twitter accounts. It is                    dealing with vessels and infrastructure when 
             anticipated that these platforms will assist            marine pests are detected. 
             during aquatic biosecurity and fish kill               An update of the biosecurity content on the 
             incidents to improve public engagement and              south Australian Primary Industries and 
             communication, including delivery of                    Regions website.  
             immediate information to the community and               
             stakeholders.                                       More information on marine pests that are 
            Aquatic biosecurity in Western Australia is         currently found in South Australia or that are 
             now managed by the Department of Primary            identified as a risk if introduced can be found at 
             Industries and Regional Development. The            www.pir.sa.gov.au/biosecurity/aquatics/aquatic_
             new department is an amalgamation of the            pests 
             former Department Agriculture and Food and           
             the Department of Fisheries. MPSC welcomes                                         
             the new WA committee member Karen Dowd.  
          
   mpsc@agriculture.gov.au       GPO Box 858 Canberra ACT 2601 
          
         New South Wales                                         Park are on-going with the Department of 
         The New South Wales Biosecurity Act 2015 came           Agriculture and Water Resources. 
         into effect on 1 July 2017 and replaced 14 Acts          
         that dealt with biosecurity in the past.                Northern Territory 
         More information on the Act can be found at             In May 2016, Parliament passed amendments to 
         www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/biosecurity/biosecurity-             the Northern Territory Fisheries Act to strengthen 
         legislation                                             aquatic biosecurity provisions. These provisions, 
                                                                 which came into effect on 1 January 2017, 
         NSW Aquatic Biosecurity has followed up on a            include:  
         number of reported marine pests sightings                 Increased penalties for intentionally bringing 
         around NSW. They have confirmed a slight range             in and/or releasing pests and diseases.  
         extension of European fan worm Sabella                    Appropriate powers of entry, inspection and 
         spallanzanii in a tributary of Botany Bay as well as       detainment for biosecurity officers. 
         a confirmed sighting of European green crab               The ability for the Fisheries Director to issue 
         Carcinus maenas in the Wonboyn River where                 instructions or orders to respond to 
         this marine pest is already know to occur.                 biosecurity threats, including to order a 
                                                                    person to destroy or dispose of diseased or 
         NSW Aquatic Biosecurity is working to develop a            contaminated fish or aquatic life and noxious 
         trial of in-water hull cleaning in Port Kembla.            species.  
         This work will progress throughout 2017.                 
                                                                 Information on the aquatic species that are listed 
         Queensland                                              as prohibited or pest species in the NT can be 
         Biosecurity Queensland has been busy                    found at:  
         responding to the detection of Asian green              www.nt.gov.au/marine/for-all-harbour-and-
         mussel Perna viridis at the Amrun Port                  boat-users/aquatic-pests-marine-and-freshwater 
         development site south of Weipa.                         
                                                                 Tasmania 
         A surveillance plan has been developed in               Tasmania is in the process of developing the 
         response to the detection of P. viridis and will be     Tasmanian Biosecurity Bill, which will be 
         carried out over the coming 24 months to:               introduced to Tasmanian Parliament in 2017. 
         conduct tracing investigations of vessel                The Bill will streamline biosecurity legislation 
         movements in the area; determine the extent of          within Tasmania by bringing together legislation 
         the incursion and develop containment measures          that is currently set out under seven separate 
         if more Asian green mussels are detected.               acts.  
         More information on the detection of P. viridis can      
         be found at:                                            Biosecurity Tasmania has identified and removed  
         www.business.qld.gov.au/industries/farms-               an infestation of bay barnacles (Amphibalanus 
         fishing-forestry/agriculture/land-                      improvisus) that were detected on the hull of a 
         management/health-pests-weeds-                          vessel seized by Australian Border Force in 
         diseases/pests/invasive-animals/prohibited              November 2016. The barnacles were removed by 
                                                                 divers upon an inspection of the hull of the vessel 
         A domestic ballast water workshop was held in           that was intercepted and escorted to Hobart 
         November 2016 with representatives from the             Harbor as part of an investigation into 
         Australian Government Department of                     international drug smuggling.  
         Agriculture and Water Resources, relevant QLD            
         agencies and Ports Queensland who met to                The detection of this exotic marine pest 
         discuss draft policies relating to the                  highlights the biosecurity risks associated with 
         implementation of domestic ballast water                vessels operating outside of the regulatory 
         management policies.                                    framework.  
                                                                  
         Discussions about the domestic ballast water 
         policy relating to the Great Barrier Reef Marine 
          
   mpsc@agriculture.gov.au      GPO Box 858 Canberra ACT 2601