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Notes from MPSC for the period June 2015 – January 2016
Notes from the Chair MPSC High Priority Work Items
This has been a busy period for the Marine Pest
Sectoral Committee (MPSC), with the committee Since June 2015, there has been progress on a
progressing a number of priority tasks and number of MPSC high priority work items.
gearing up to consider future processes in light of
the Australian Government Review of National MPSC Communication and Engagement
Marine Pest Biosecurity. Strategy
MPSC is developing a Communication and
Highlights of the period include drafting of the Engagement Strategy. This strategy will outline
MPSC Communications and Engagement Strategy, how the committee will communicate and
progress in development of a marine pest risk promote marine pest matters to stakeholders.
management system for population of the The strategy will be included under the
Australian Priority Marine Pest List, and overarching National Marine Pest Strategy.
attendance at a marine pest simulation exercise Members considered a draft in September 2015
led by New South Wales. and hope to finalise the work in early in 2016.
Other important events include the tenth MPSC Australian Priority Marine Pests List
meeting (MPSC10) and MPSC Partners Workshop
(previously the Industry Consultation Day) held MPSC is developing a marine pest risk
on 18-19 November. These meetings allowed for management system in collaboration with similar
valuable discussion and information sharing on a work underway in South Australia. It is
number of topics including recent biosecurity anticipated this will provide a robust, repeatable
legislation, relevant international organisations, means to prioritise marine pests for control
and biosecurity activities in the marine pest programs at a range of geographic sites, including
sector. population of the Australian Priority Marine Pests
List.
As Chair, I extend my thanks to MPSC members,
observers, partners, stakeholders and all who National Marine Pest Biosecurity Strategy
participated in these MPSC meetings and Development
activities. The national strategy was previously placed on
hold pending the results of the Australian
I would like to acknowledge the retirements of Government Review of National Marine Pest
longstanding MPSC partners Pheroze Jungalwalla Biosecurity. Now that the review has been
and Sue Fryda-Blackwell. Thank you to both of finalised, work on the strategy will resume in the
you for your insight, commitment and near future.
contribution to MPSC over the years. I would also
like to extend my best wishes to Rae Burrows,
who is resigning her role as MPSC Western Jurisdictional Updates
Australia member. Rae has been involved with
MPSC since its inception, and her knowledge, Western Australia
experience and enthusiasm were an asset to
MPSC. We wish Rae, Sue and Pheroze the best of The WA Department of Fisheries has been
luck for their future adventures. involved in a range of marine biosecurity
research, compliance, policy and communications
Dr Robyn Martin activities since May 2015.
Chair MPSC10
These activities include the ongoing research into The outcomes of an independent review into
Asian Green Mussels with the University of Queensland’s biosecurity capability may also
Singapore and the NT Government, refinement provide future direction for marine pest
and extension of the early warning system of biosecurity in Queensland.
monitoring at high value high risk assets around
the state, and attempting the eradication of a Follow up of an Asian Green Mussel detection in
marine pest on pearling lines and moorings at the Cairns in December 2014 has been completed
Abrolhos Islands. with no further detection of the pest. Ongoing
targeted monitoring continues in the port of
There also continues to be an investment of Cairns.
resources in the development of legislative
frameworks and guidelines to support the Northern Territory
implementation of the Aquatic Resources Ongoing programs/activities in the Northern
Management Bill when it is enacted. Territory include:
Continuation of the early warning marine
Victoria pest monitoring program for Darwin
A new incursion of Northern Pacific Seastars in Harbour, its marinas as well as Gove and
Gippsland Lakes in 2015 marked a range Groote Eylandt Harbours and the new
extension for this species. The Victorian port development at Melville Island.
Government implemented a successful
emergency management response. Spot diving, Assessment based on evaluation of
underwater camera surveys, and plankton trawls marine growth on hard substrates in
returned negative results in late 2015. A 12 areas of high vessel traffic.
month management plan is being developed, with
further surveys scheduled for 2016. Tasmania
Tasmania has been participating in the National
New South Wales Monitoring Network with the South Australian
The New South Wales Biosecurity Act 2015 was Research and Development Institute undertaking
passed in September 2015, and subordinate sampling in the port of Hobart. Initial findings
legislation is now being developed with the have been provided, with final reports now being
expectation of the new legislation coming into prepared.
force during 2017. NSW Department of Primary
Industries led the development of a preparedness Australian Government
exercise in November 2015, called 'Exercise Five Australian Emergency Marine Pest Plan
Wakame'. This exercise aimed to test the Rapid Response Manuals were recently endorsed
knowledge and understanding of procedures, and will be published on the National System
plans and responsibilities in the event of an website. The department is currently working
actual marine pest response, with final outcomes with Centre of Excellence for Biosecurity Risk
from 'Exercise Wakame' to be circulated to Analysis to complete a project on development of
participants during early 2016. a marine spatial analysis model for improved
biofouling risk assessment, and another project
Queensland on improving ballast water risk tables.
The Queensland Government is preparing for the
commencement of new biosecurity legislation in
July 2016 which will provide stronger legislation Recent Meetings
for dealing with marine pests in Queensland
waters and places greater responsibilities on MPSC Partners Workshop
individuals and organisations whose activities The MPSC Partners Workshop was held on 18
may pose a biosecurity risk. November 2015.
mpsc@agriculture.gov.au GPO Box 858 Canberra ACT 2601
The day began with an update on the Australian MPSC10
Government Review of National Marine Pest MPSC10 was held on 19 November 2015.
Biosecurity, which has now been finalised and Members compared and contrasted funding
can be viewed on the Department of Agriculture sources for marine pest activities in Australia and
and Water Resources website: the United Kingdom with Mr Payne.
http://www.agriculture.gov.au/pests-diseases-
weeds/marine-pests/review-national-marine- The committee then discussed strategies for
pest-biosecurity increasing engagement at future MPSC Partners
Workshops. Members acknowledged that the
The Department also provided a detailed update preceding workshop was unable to focus on the
on the progress of the Biosecurity Act 2015, with a Australian Government Review of National
focus on legislation surrounding on first points of Marine Pest Biosecurity as initially planned, due
call and ballast water. to unexpected scheduling matters. Future
workshops will be more targeted towards
Highlights of the day were presentations from specific marine pest matters, and led by MPSC
MPSC10 special guests Mr Robin Payne and Ms partners.
Judy Fisher. Mr Payne is a Churchill Travelling
fellow and ecologist based in the United Kingdom, Members also agreed to review the current list of
who provided an overview of marine pest nationally engaged stakeholders, with a view to
management in the United Kingdom. Ms Fisher, in expand this list.
her role as Chair of the Ecosystems and Invasive
Species Specialist Group for the International Other topics of discussion at the meeting included
Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) increasing efficiency of paperwork in a marine
Commission on Ecosystem Management (CEM), pest emergency through the creation of response
provided insight into the activities and plan templates, and surveillance activities under
innovations of the IUCN CEM specialist group. the recently released Agriculture
Competitiveness White Paper.
Did You Know
More information on the White Paper can be
In Britain it is convention to use the found at the link below:
phrase ‘non-native invasive species’ http://agwhitepaper.agriculture.gov.au/
instead of ‘pests’.
Upcoming MPSC Meetings &
Most British non-emergency
marine pest work is completed Activities
through projects run by non-
government organisations. Review Workshop
Members, partners and other stakeholders will
Members also received invaluable feedback from be attending a workshop in 2016 to discuss the
partners regarding future MPSC engagement with Australian Government Review of National
stakeholders. Marine Pest Biosecurity. Although the review
focused on Australian Government investment,
MPSC announced that it had recently removed MPSC will have an important role in delivering
restrictions on a number of ‘government only’ the recommendations.
meeting papers to facilitate increased
stakeholder consultation. MPSC11
The eleventh MPSC meeting will be held in
Tasmania on 16 June 2016, preceded by a
Partners Workshop on 15 June 2016.
mpsc@agriculture.gov.au GPO Box 858 Canberra ACT 2601
Member contacts
Member Jurisdiction Agency Contact
Robyn Martin Australian Department of mpsc@agriculture.gov.au
(Chair) Government Agriculture
Kylie Higgins Australian Department of mpsc@agriculture.gov.au
Government Agriculture
Victoria Aitken Western Australia Department of victoria.aitken@fish.wa.gov.au
Fisheries
Andrew Sanger New South Wales Department of Andrew.Sanger@dpi.nsw.gov.au
Primary Industries
John Robertson Queensland Department of John.Robertson@daf.qld.gov.au
Agriculture and
Fisheries
Murray Barton Northern Territory Department of murray.barton@nt.gov.au
Primary Industry
and Fisheries
Stuart McConnell Victoria Department of stuart.mcconnell@delwp.vic.gov.au
Environment, Land,
Water and Planning
John Virtue South Australia Primary Industries John.Virtue@sa.gov.au
and Regions South
Australia
Kevin Ellard Tasmania Department of Kevin.Ellard@dpipwe.tas.gov.au
Primary Industries,
Parks, Water and
Environment
mpsc@agriculture.gov.au GPO Box 858 Canberra ACT 2601
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