Biosecurity approaches to surveillance and response for new plant pest species

There is a wide variety of organisms associated with plants and plant products. A number of offshore and border measures are taken to exclude such organisms not present in New Zealand, but some enter undetected. Surveillance throughout New Zealand to achieve early detection and effective eradication programmes for all potential pest species is logistically not feasible and can realistically only be undertaken for targeted pests. The National Plant Pest Reference Laboratory (NPPRL) conducts general surveillance activities but this usually only detects pests once they have established and dispersed in New Zealand. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) is currently investigating the feasibility of conducting targeted surveillance to achieve eradication for significant pests other than fruit flies and sees this to be a critical area for industry involvement. Exclusion remains New Zealand's best defence against plant pests.