What is biosecurity?

What is meant by the term biosecurity?

Biosecurity is the protection of a country's economy, environment and people from unwanted exotic pests and diseases. It includes trying to prevent new pests and diseases from arriving, and eradicating or controlling those already present.

Unwanted organisms might harm:

crops,
livestock,
the environment,
beneficial organisms and
people (though the term biosecurity does not specifically include human diseases).

Biosecurity also includes not sending organisms from New Zealand to other countries where they are not wanted.

More information is available from MAF Biosecurity New Zealand.

Why do we need biosecurity?

Effective biosecurity protects people from new noxious animals such as poisonous spiders and disease vectors such as mosquitoes. It prevents the establishment of pests and pathogens of livestock and crops, which helps minimise the costs of production and helps maintain sustainable production systems.

Primary producers are particularly interested in biosecurity because new pests can disrupt sustainable crop production systems such as Integrated Pest Management (IPM).

Biosecurity programmes also help protect the natural environment from potentially damaging organisms such as the fresh water algae Didymo, and the marine encrusting organism 'sea squirt'.

Biosecurity is especially important to New Zealand – an isolated island nation. Although free of many serious pests and diseases present overseas, new organisms are continually arriving and New Zealand's biosecurity systems are under increasing pressure from recent growth in international trade and travel.

Who is responsible for biosecurity?

MAF Biosecurity New Zealand is the lead agency in New Zealand's biosecurity system. It is tasked with a "whole of system" leadership role, encompassing economic, environmental, social and cultural outcomes. It also has international trade and animal welfare responsibilities.

While MAF has overall responsibility for biosecurity, it is just one part of New Zealand's biosecurity system. There are roles for central government, regional and local government, industry, community groups and every individual.

Central government

The central government is responsible for border management, national-scale events, agency co-ordination, and the legislative framework. There are four main biosecurity agencies:

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) leads and co-ordinates the Government's biosecurity programme. It develops import standards, manages biosecurity risks at the border, attempts to eradicate or contain certain pests, and provides export certification.
The Department of Conservation (DOC) manages animal pests, weeds and wildlife diseases across terrestrial, marine and freshwater environments. It has a focus on indigenous organisms and ecosystems.
The Ministry of Fisheries (MFish) is no longer accountable for delivering biosecurity services, but continues to contribute to the formulation of strategic goals for the marine biosecurity system, and provides advice on biosecurity risks to their interests. The Ministry's primary purpose is to ensure that fisheries are sustainably used within a healthy aquatic ecosystem. Therefore, they have an interest in any organism that can harm the sustainable use of fisheries – for instance, any harmful exotic species that could enter New Zealand waters through the discharge of ballast water (carried in the base of ships for stability) or as fouling on vessel hulls.
The Ministry of Health (MOH) maintains a significant role in managing biosecurity health risks. Exotic pests and diseases may cause direct harm to human health – such as injuries caused by biting or stinging pests – or indirect harm – such as the transmission of diseases carried by exotic mosquitoes. Nuisance pests and organisms could become a major drain on the health system if they become established.

Regional government

Regional governments have roles as both regulators and deliverers of biosecurity services. The Biosecurity Act 1993 allows regional councils to control pests by developing pest management strategies. These set out the objectives of the strategy, the pests to be managed or eradicated, and the methods of management.

Environmental Risk Management Authority

The Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA) is concerned with the deliberate importation of new organisms into New Zealand.