ER-AN-O2N-2 Import into containment any new organism that is not 01/08 genetically modified Application title: Importation of rosaceous plants into containment Applicant organisation: Plant Health & Environment Laboratory, MAF Biosecurity New Zealand Please provide a brief summary of the purpose of the application (255 characters or less, including spaces) To import into containment new organisms in the family Rosaceae (rose family) for research purposes. PLEASE CONTACT ERMA NEW ZEALAND BEFORE SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATION Please clearly identify any confidential information and attach as a separate appendix. Please check and complete the following before submitting your application: All sections completed Yes Appendices enclosed Yes/NA Confidential information identified and enclosed separately Yes/NA Copies of references attached Yes/NA Application signed and dated Yes Electronic copy of application e-mailed to Yes ERMA New Zealand Signed: Date: 20 Customhouse Quay Cnr Waring Taylor and Customhouse Quay PO Box 131, Wellington Phone: 04 916 2426 Fax: 04 914 0433 Email: [email protected] Website: www.ermanz.govt.nz ER-AN-O2N-2 01/08: Application to import into containment any new organism that is not genetically modified Section One – Applicant details Name and details of the organisation making the application: Name: Plant Health & Environment Laboratory Manager Postal Address: PO Box 2095, Auckland 1140 Physical Address: 231 Morrin Road, St Johns, Auckland 1140 Phone: - Fax: - Email: - Name and details of the key contact person (if different from above): Name: Veronica Herrera Postal Address: As above Physical Address: As above Phone: - Fax: - Email: - Name and details of a contact person in New Zealand, if the applicant is overseas: Name: Not applicable Postal Address: Physical Address: Phone: Fax: Email: Note: The key contact person should have sufficient knowledge of the application to respond to queries from ERMA New Zealand staff. Page 2 of 14 ER-AN-O2N-2 01/08: Application to import into containment any new organism that is not genetically modified Section 2: Purpose of the application Lay summary of the application (approximately 200 words) Note: This summary should include a description of the organism(s), the purpose of the application or what you want to do with the organisms(s). Use simple non-technical language Since the implementation of the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (HSNO) Act 1996, any organism (including plants) not present in New Zealand immediately prior to 29 July 1998 requires approval from ERMA before it can be imported. Applying for such a full release can be an expensive and time-consuming process. It would therefore be beneficial to plant-based industries and the economy to import potentially valuable species into a secured containment facility to enable the gathering of New Zealand specific data prior to applying for a full or conditional release. Given the stringent containment requirements and the negligible risk of escape we believe the benefits far outweigh the costs. In the long-term this application if successful will increase the selection of plants available to New Zealanders for amenity, horticultural and industrial use. This outcome is in line with MAF‟s purpose of “Leading the protection and sustainable development of our biological resources for all New Zealanders.” Page 3 of 14 ER-AN-O2N-2 01/08: Application to import into containment any new organism that is not genetically modified Describe the background and aims of the project Note: This section is intended to put the organism(s) in perspective of the wider project(s) that they will be used in. You may use more technical language but please make sure that any technical words are included in the Glossary. Since the implementation of the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (HSNO) Act 1996, any organism (including plants) not present in New Zealand prior to 29 July 1998 requires approval from ERMA before it can be imported. Biosecurity requirements determined by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) also need to be met. Applying for a full release and meeting biosecurity requirements can be an expensive and time-consuming process. It would therefore be beneficial to plant-based industries (and in the long-term the economy) if exotic plant species could be imported into containment for research prior to applying for a full or conditional release. MAF‟s Plant Health & Environment Laboratory is responsible for the identification and/or validation of all suspected exotic, new and emerging pests and diseases of plants (including arable, forestry & horticultural crops, and species of amenity and environmental value). In 2005, the government approved a new initiative to facilitate the importation of new plant germplasm. To date much of this funding has been used to develop the capability required for New Zealand to have a fully functioning post-entry quarantine (PEQ) system. However, there a number of additional ways in which this mandate can be fulfilled, e.g. by broadening the range of plant species that can be imported. The importation of new plant species would also broaden the range of species which can be used as indicator plants for diagnosing plant pests and diseases. The purpose of this application is to seek approval for entities such as private importers, crown research institutes, laboratories and universities to import identified exotic species of plants belonging to the family Rosaceae into containment in order for research to be undertaken. All containment facilities will be MAF-registered and will be constructed and operated in accordance with the MAF Biosecurity New Zealand and ERMA New Zealand Standard, Containment Facilities for Plants: 2007. Only species belonging to the family Rosaceae will be imported into containment in New Zealand. The benefits of allowing plants into containment for research far outweigh the costs (e.g. the risk of escaping containment and establishing a self-sustaining population is negligible). In the long-term the approval would increase the selection of plants available to New Zealanders for amenity, horticultural and industrial use. Page 4 of 14 ER-AN-O2N-2 01/08: Application to import into containment any new organism that is not genetically modified Section Three – Identification of the organism(s) to be imported Complete this section separately for each new organism to be imported. Identification of the organism to be imported Latin binomial, including full taxonomic This is an application for the family authority: Rosaceae and therefore the Latin binomial is not applicable. Common name(s), if any: The family Rosaceae is commonly known as the rose family. Type of organism (eg bacterium, virus, Plant fungus, plant, animal, animal cell): Taxonomic class, order and family: Kingdom: Plantae, Division: Magnoliophyta, Class: Magnoliopsida, Order: Rosales, Family: Rosaceae Strain(s) if relevant: N/A Other information, including presence of We accept that the species to be imported any inseparable or associated organisms may have inseparable organisms, but the and any related organisms present in New biosecurity requirements and containment Zealand: procedures are sufficient to prevent or contain such organisms. Page 5 of 14 ER-AN-O2N-2 01/08: Application to import into containment any new organism that is not genetically modified Section Four – The proposed containment system Describe the containment facility and the proposed containment system (physical and operational) Question Answer Which MAF/ERMA Standard is this MAF Biosecurity New Zealand and ERMA New containment facility approved under? Zealand Standard, Containment Facilities for Plants: 2007 (the Standard) What physical containment level (AS/NZS 2243: 2002) is this containment facility registered to (where relevant)? What other physical measures do you The Standard requires stringent physical propose to use to contain this measures to be put in place to prevent the escape organism? of the organisms. These measures are considered sufficient to contain these organisms, except during transport where we have proposed an additional measure. Packaging: Each imported organism will be clearly labelled and packaged so that containment may not be breached accidentally during transit. The packaging and transportation of these organisms from overseas and for transfers from the border and between facilities, will be in accordance with Packaging Instruction No. 650 of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Dangerous Goods Regulations. What procedural or operational The Standard has stringent requirements that measures do you propose to use to must be met to prevent the escape of these contain this organism? organisms. These requirements are considered sufficient to contain the organism and no additional procedural measures are required. Any other information relevant to the N/A containment of the organism. Page 6 of 14 ER-AN-O2N-2 01/08: Application to import into containment any new organism that is not genetically modified Describe the characteristics of the organism to be imported that may influence its ability; to escape from containment, to form a self sustaining population, or to cause adverse effects. Refer to sample applications for guidance on how to answer these questions. Question Answer attach copies of the references used in an appendix What are the characteristics of the The Rosaceae family is a large family of flowering organism that may prevent/enable plants consisting of approximately 3,000 species,