BIOSECURITY changes are being implemented to prevent the introduction of the brown marmorated stink bug to Australia.
Since February 23, break bulk vehicles (including boats), machinery, automotive parts and containerised machinery arriving in Australia from the east coast of the United States will need to have been treated before departure.
This will be extended to all vehicles from all US ports from March.
Brown marmorated stink bugs are pests to about 300 plant species including fruit, vegetables and ornamental plants and could have a significant impact on Australia’s $9 billion horticulture sector.
The bugs were detected on a vessel which arrived in Australia in early December 2014.
Since then, nearly 15,000 new trucks, boats, cars and pieces of machinery imported from the US from nine vessels at Brisbane, Port Kembla, Melbourne and Freemantle have been fumigated.
Minister for agriculture Barnaby Joyce said detecting and destroying the bugs was a huge job for Australia’s biosecurity officers – and managing the threat longer term meant working internationally to have risk better managed off-shore.
“The bugs are about the size of a five cent coin and they can hide in the nooks and crannies of large-scale machinery that is then packed and stacked on to vessels that are up to 300m long,” Mr Joyce said.
“Our scientists and biosecurity officers have been working to develop measures that can be applied there to stop these bugs hitch-hiking a ride to Australia.”
“Our biosecurity officers will continue a heightened level of inspection and surveillance to make sure the measures applied off-shore are managing the risk appropriately.
“We can’t mount this scale of response without the cooperation and help of industry.
“I want to thank all industry – the ports, the shipping lines, the importers and the manufacturers – for the work they have put into keeping these damaging stink bugs out of Australia.
“The increased measures do come at an increased cost but what price can we put on protecting our agricultural industries and natural environment?”
Suspected sightings of brown marmorated stink bugs can be reported to the See-Secure-Report hotline on 1800 798 636.
