Biosecurity
The incidence of diseases and pests in New Zealand’s Greenshell™ mussel, salmon and oyster farming industries is very low.
Farming activities, however, are a potential vector for transporting disease around New Zealand. So it is important to ensure that farmed stock comes from a healthy source. And like coastal shipping and recreational boating activities, the movement of marine farming vessels, gear, stock and spat around New Zealand can potentially spread aquatic and marine pests.
Marine farms also carry a further pest risk, in that they can provide ideal habitats for some species, especially biofouling species (as can moorings, marinas, etc.). Many biofouling species(like barnacles, mussels, sea squirts) thrive in man-made marine environments. There is the potential for these organisms – some of which are pests – to establish in such places and subsequently spread into the surrounding natural environment. They may then cause changes to existing communities.
Good marine farm management is an effective way to minimise the spread of pests and diseases as well as maximising farm yield. The New Zealand aquaculture industry recognises that managing pests and diseases is important to the health of the environment and the aquaculture industry as a whole.
The Greenshell™ mussel, Pacific oyster and king salmon farming industries have therefore been proactive in developing environmental codes of practices. These codes set out best practice ways to minimise the introduction and spread of marine pests.
Best practice guidelines in these codes complement existing MAF Biosecurity New Zealand guidelines.
