ContingencyContingency PlanningPlanning forfor pestpest incursionsincursions inin AustraliaAustralia

Dr Paul Pheloung Office ofof thethe ChiefChief PlantPlant ProtectionProtection Officer Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry papayapapaya Incursion fruitfruit flyfly Management sugarcanesugarcane smutsmut

Since 1995: • 900 exotic pest incursion/barrier SiamSiam weedweed incidents • 84 of these required further response action • over $200 millionmillion havehave beenbeen spentspent managing incursions of pests FireFire antant

KochiaKochia broomrapebroomrape fireblightfireblight pinepine nematode nematode KeyKey PointsPoints • Identify pest threats • Quarantine and offshore activities • Surveillance • Diagnostics • Biology, Ecology and Control • Roles and Responsibilities • Legislative Authority • Funding and Compensation • Defined endpoint and monitoring • Increase preparedness and response planning • Case Studies PrePre-Border-Border –– regionalregionalregional collaborationcollaborationcollaboration

• Regional capacity building • training • facilitating development and management of collections of pests •Collaborative research • eg redbanded mango caterpillar (Aus & PNG) • Email/internet discussion groups (PestNet) SurveillanceSurveillance

• Specific Surveys • Northern Quarantine Strategy (NAQS) • National Asian Gypsy Moth and fruit fly trapping program • Port Environ Survey (QLD, TAS) • State Forest Surveillance programs • General • NAQS, Australian Quarantine & Inspection Service (AQIS), Industry • Pest Awareness (guides) • Website, e-communications (Discussion groups, e-newsletters, subscription lists etc) • Weed spotters • National Plant Pest Hotline • Surveillance Network System StructuredStructured SurveillanceSurveillance StructuredStructured SurveillanceSurveillance New Guinea

Saibai I

Australia TorresTorres StraitStrait QuarantineQuarantine ZonesZones NAQSNAQS WeedWeed TargetTarget ListList Family Species Family Species Amaranthaceae Amaranthus dubius Brachiaria paspaloides Asteraceae Austroeupatorium inulaefolium Coix aquatica Chromolaena odorata Digitaria fuscescens Mikania cordata Digitaria insularis Mikania micrantha Echinochloa glabrescens Capparaceae Cleome rutidosperma Echinochloa stagnina Cyperaceae Fimbristylis umbellaris Eriochloa polystachya Schoenoplectus juncoides Ischaemum timorense Scirpus maritimus chinensis E quisetaceae Equisetum ramosissimum Leptochloa panicea E riocaulaceae Eriocaulon truncatum Sacciolepis interrupta E uphorbiaceae Croton hirtus Rubiaceae Diodia sarmentosa Fabaceae Mucuna pruriens Paederia foetida Haloragaceae Myriophyllum spicatum Spermacoce assurgens Lamiaceae Hyptis brevipes Spermacoce mauritiana Limnocharitaceae Limnocharis flava Salviniaceae Salvinia cucullata Lythraceae Rotala indica Salvinia natans Melastomaceae Clidemia hirta S crophulariaceae Striga angustifolia Myrtaceae Rhodomyrtus tomentosa Stri ga asiati ca Nyctaginaceae Boerhavia erecta Violaceae Hybanthus attenuatus P iperaceae Piper aduncum MonitoringMonitoring

Traps:Traps: ––traps traps forfor lurelure responsiveresponsive fruitfruit flies,flies, beesbees andand screwscrew wormworm fliesflies maintainedmaintained byby NAQSNAQS ––fruit fruit flyfly andand AsianAsian gypsygypsy mothmoth trapstraps atat portsports ofof entryentry maintainedmaintained byby StatesStates ––traps traps maintainedmaintained inin exportexport fruitfruit producingproducing districtsdistricts toto demonstratedemonstrate regionalregional absenceabsence ofof fruitfruit fliesflies TopwatchTopwatch CalenderCalender IslandIsland traderstraders NAQS General surveillance: Communication & Public Awareness

SchoolSchool demodemo inin ArnhamArnham Land Land TalkingTalking toto landholderslandholders DiagnosticsDiagnostics

• Need to be correct and timely • Three stages for diagnostic protocols: • Initial Detection • Intermediate Diagnosis – “filters” to confirm tentative diagnosis • Specialist Diagnosis – agreed reference lab verifies diagnosis

• New Initiatives • National Diagnostic Network • Development of key protocols (fruit flies, Pine Pitch Canker, Lymantrids) Biology,Biology, EcologyEcology andand ControlControl • Is there a pest here? • Ability to accurately assess, describe and report on current plant health status (Australian Pest and Disease Database (APPD), Virtual Herbarium)

• Is the pest likely to arrive and how does it spread? • Epidemiology, invasiveness (risk assessment) • What will the pest do when it arrives and what is the cost-benefit analysis of taking actions? • Host status/impact • Control options • Trade impact • (Australia/NZ cooperative host testing of native flora for AGM) The Australian Plant Pest Database (APPD) What is it? •An internet based access and search tool for plant pest records residing in discrete collections –Consistent with ISPM –1,000 000 mite, nematode, insect & pathogen records by mid 2004

How does it work?

Collection C: Internet Texpress APPD Host Broker Collection B: Collection A: BioLink MS Access Frankliniella Salix Babylonica FundingFunding andand CompensationCompensation

• Commonwealth/State cost sharing • Challenges • Debate on eradication v suppression • Funding is not guaranteed • Split between pests of commercial and conservation areas • Agreed National position on funding and compensation • Development of new cost sharing arrangements with Governments and industry through Plant Health Australia IncreasingIncreasing preparednesspreparedness andand responseresponse planningplanning

• Forest GenericGeneric IncursionIncursion ManagementManagement Plan (GIMP)

• Specific pest response plans • Papaya Fruit Fly • Pine pitch canker • Fire Blight • Dutch Elm disease • Government and Industry Biosecurity planning IncursionIncursion ResponseResponse DecisionDecision MakingMaking ProcessProcess

PRE-EVENT

TRIGGER

SCOPE

RESPONSE

STAND DOWN PapayaPapaya FruitFruit FlyFly ResponseResponse

Impact: $100 $100 million estimatedestimated (increased productionproduction costscosts andand losses;losses; reducedreduced access to international markets for many horticultural products)products) Pathway: Smuggled fruit Detection: Late; by grower after pest had established (> 1 year after entry) Surveillance: Extensive lure trapping Diagnostics: World authority is Australian Quarantine: Strict controls on imported horticulturalhorticultural host commoditiescommodities Strict internal controls on movement of product outside of infested area Eradication: Lure/insecticide Lure/insecticide treatments;treatments; $35$35 millionmillion over 4 years Exotic Fruit Fly Preparedness

• Fruit fly target lists (eg NAQS)NAQS) • National Fruit Fly Trapping Program ••NAQSNAQS – surveys surveys inin Northern Australia – monitoring monitoring andand eradication/containmenteradication/containment program in Torres Strait • National fruitfruit fly response planning PhilippinePhilippine fruitfruit flyfly inin DarwinDarwin:: • Diagnostics: becausebecause ofof earlyearly detectiondetection andand – National Nationaleffectiveeffective exotic responseresponse fruit fly preparednesspreparedness diagnostic training – Development Developmentandand planning,planning, ofof improvedimproved eradicationeradication taxonomytaxonomy costcost and molecular$5$5 techniquesmilmil vsvs $35$35 milmil forfor PPFPPF RedRedRed ImportedImportedImported FireFireFire AntAntAnt ResponseResponseResponse

Impact: Potentially millions as well as social and environmental impact if established. Pathway: ? Detection: In Brisbane, February 2001. May have first arrived up to five years earlier, based on the size of the infested areas. Surveillance: Delimiting surveys in Brisbane area, continuing surveillance program. Diagnostics: CSIRO, confirmed early. Quarantine: Strict controls and extensive public awareness campaign. Eradication: Five-year $140 million National Fire Ant Eradication Program. Research

••Improved Improved understandingunderstanding ofof ‘weedy‘weedy traits’traits’ (recognising(recognising thethe importantimportant weedsweeds beforebefore theythey becomebecome weeds)weeds) ••Targeting Targeting surveillance:surveillance: ––identifying identifying ‘sentinel‘sentinel sites’sites’ ––investigating investigating thethe useuse ofof spatialspatial analysisanalysis toolstools ••Efficacy Efficacy andand Cost/benefitCost/benefit analysisanalysis ofof surveillancesurveillance strategiesstrategies Thank You SiamSiam WeedWeed ••Detected Detected byby NAQSNAQS botanistbotanist inin 19941994 ••Ongoing Ongoing surveillancesurveillance revealedrevealed 780780 sitessites withinwithin aa 5050 kmkm radiusradius ofof originaloriginal detectiondetection ••Helicopter Helicopter surveillancesurveillance usedused becausebecause ofof accessaccess difficultiesdifficulties ••After After 77 yearsyears infestationinfestation greatlygreatly reducedreduced butbut 258258 activeactive spotspot sitessites remainremain becausebecause ofof aa persistentpersistent seedseed bankbank Bassia scoparia

••Imported Imported inin 19901990 asas partpart ofof seedseed mixmix forfor rehabilitationrehabilitation ofof saltsalt affectedaffected landland && sownsown atat 6868 sitessites ••Naturalised Naturalised andand activelyactively growinggrowing atat 5151 sitessites throughoutthroughout southwestsouthwest WAWA byby 19921992 ••A A searchsearch ofof thethe literatureliterature quicklyquickly showedshowed thisthis toto bebe aa majormajor weedweed ••Accurate Accurate knowledgeknowledge ofof locationlocation ofof infestationsinfestations ensuredensured thatthat eradicationeradication couldcould bebe achievedachieved inin 1010 yearsyears BranchedBranched BroomrapeBroomrape ResponseResponse

Impact: Millions (potential impact on international trade and loss of productivity in horticultural industry) Pathway: ? Detection: Incidentally noticed because of general awareness in region. Lack of accurate delimitation failed to reflect level. Surveillance: Extensive survey program of quarantined and neighbouring properties and any properties with a link to infested property. Diagnostics: Confirmed early Quarantine: Containment within the 70 x 70 km infestation. Eradication: 15-20 years from commencement of eradication, approx $4 million to date. EssigellaEssigellaEssigella Impact:Impact: Not Not aa majormajor pestpest elsewhere,elsewhere, impactimpact atat firstfirst maymay havehave beenbeen confusedconfused withwith otherother factors.factors. CurrentCurrent researchresearch indicatesindicates itit maymay havehave significantsignificant impactimpact onon pinnispinnis radiationradiation plantations.plantations. Pathway:Pathway: Uncertain Uncertain butbut evidenceevidence showsshows itit couldcould havehave beenbeen aa ‘hitchhiker’‘hitchhiker’ onon variousvarious importedimported material.material. Detection:Detection: Late; Late; incidentallyincidentally detecteddetected byby anan Entomologist.Entomologist. NationalNational delimitingdelimiting surveyssurveys showedshowed itit waswas widespreadwidespread throughoutthroughout Australia.Australia. ExistingExisting forestforest surveillancesurveillance programsprograms missedmissed it.it. Surveillance:Surveillance: National National surveillancesurveillance programprogram developeddeveloped targetingtargeting thethe aphid.aphid. Diagnostics:Diagnostics: Cooperation Cooperation withwith USUS toto quicklyquickly confirm.confirm. Quarantine:Quarantine: Breached Breached currentcurrent quarantine,quarantine, nono interstateinterstate quarantinequarantine feasiblefeasible oror justified.justified. Eradication:Eradication: Not Not feasible.feasible. DeclaredDeclared established.established. ManagementManagement programsprograms beingbeing researched.researched. LegislativeLegislative AuthorityAuthority

Consultative Committee

Amendment Section 2B

Commonwealth State legislation Quarantine Act 1908

Action

InspectSurvey Treat Restrict movement

Take samples Quarantine Destroy