The Department of Agriculture and Water Resources (DAWR) has finalised measures for the 2019-20 Brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) risk season.
For the 2019-20 BMSB risk season, measures will apply to:
- certain goods manufactured in, or shipped from target risk countries, and/or
- vessels that berth at, load or tranship from target risk countries
from 1 September 2019 and that arrive in Australian territory by 31 May 2020 (inclusive).
See our previous news bulletin posted on 10 April (HERE) for the newly expanded list of countries, which now numbers 32.
In response to the rapid expansion of BMSB throughout Europe and North America, DAWR has strengthened the seasonal measures to manage risk of BMSB from arriving in Australia for the 2019–20 BMSB risk season. They have used a range of scientific, intelligence and evidence-based information when setting the measures including data collected from the 2018-19 BMSB season onshore verification activities.
DAWR has also worked closely with the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries on the 2019-20 measures to ensure both Australia and New Zealand’s BMSB seasonal measures are consistent across the two counties where possible.
As with previous BMSB risk seasons, importers and their customs brokers / freight forwarders must comply with these measures. Throughout the season DAWR will continue to review these measures based on detections of BMSB and the risk pathways and make any necessary adjustments.
