Marine pest preparedness project
Building marine biosecurity capability
The Marine Pest Preparedness Project is creating a focused marine biosecurity function in Queensland. The project will help the State shift from responsive management to being proactive in protecting Queensland’s resources from marine pests. Prevention is considered the most cost‐effective way of minimising the threat of invasive marine pest introductions and this is the focus of the project.
Through prevention and preparedness, this project aims to reduce the risk of potentially devastating impacts from invasive marine pest species on industry and other users that rely on the Queensland’s marine resources.
We are working closely with our partners, including port authorities, commercial shipping industry, the marina industry, ship maintenance and cleaning sectors, conservation interests and boating communities to:
- establish a focused marine pest leadership function
- establish agreed roles and responsibilities
- deliver and improve marine pest education and awareness
- build stronger relationships with stakeholders and increase their capability and capacity
- improve collaborations with partners
- identify and assess risk pathways
- undertake a pilot surveillance and monitoring program
- develop a simple, feasible and consistent monitoring strategy for ports
- investigate the feasibility of a coordinated approach to marine pest diagnostic analyses
- improve preparedness through response simulation exercise/s
- develop an agreed prevention program for implementation
- develop emergency response guidelines to be followed in the event of a detection
- develop a state marine pest biosecurity action plan.